Gokusen 3: A Fanfiction
by sporkofperil
Summary: Just as the title says, this is a Gokusen 3 fic. It's what I want to happen if ever there's a season 3. Not just your typical Shinkumi goodness. Expect a surprising twist! Read to find out.
1. Prologue

**Hai! This is a Gokusen 3 fic, which is one of those stuff I really wanna see. Since nobody is writing a fanfic about the 3rd season of the Gokusen live action I decided to make one for myself.**

**Summary: Yamaguchi Kumiko starts a new school year as teacher at a new school. However, instead of dealing with the present and the future prospects of her life, she found herself looking into the past, way four years back, when she first became a teacher. One of her students isn't the same anymore, while another comes back to make a larger impact on her than what was before. This story is more drama-like than comedy based, but the romance is well-rounded, I think.**

**Pairings: ShinKumi (Of course! What do you expect?), Uchi/Yankumi (yes, you read this right. Wonder what'll happen when Uchi falls in love with Yankumi? ), Shinohara/Yankumi**

**Notes: This story is focusing on the 3-D students of season one (coz I know they are our favorite version! ) and more on Yankumi's role as a Yakuza Ojou (because that's what really makes her tick!). I don't really care for her new students, though. The original 3-D got enough problems on their own.**

**-blaine36**

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Yamaguchi Kumiko woke up to the deafening sound of her alarm clock. Silencing the device with one lazy hand, she got up, yawning. As she walked outside she met Tetsu, who greeted her with a bow. 

"Ojou! Good morning!"

"Morning," Kumiko walked past the young man and went to the dining table. Ojii-san was already there, smiling up at her in greeting.

"Kumiko-chan, good morning."

"Good morning," Kumiko sat down and started to pick at the breakfast dish. Ojii-san spoke.

"So, you're starting a new semester today?"

"Yes, new students at 3-D too," said Kumiko.

"I do hope you'd do well with your new students as you did with your last ones, Ojou," remarked Wakamatsu.

"There's no doubt her students will like her, since she's a very good teacher," added Tetsu, who was serving the beverages.

"You guys…" Kumiko can't help smiling at her subordinates, who had been very kind and caring to her since childhood. Today she was starting a new year at Kimigawa Gakuin, much to her delight. Her last three batches of students have graduated with flying colors, some going to national colleges and some working for good enough companies. Most successful of all was Sawada Shin, whom she heard from Kuma had been studying at a prestigious university and bringing back the pride of his senator of a father. Inside she beamed in happiness. Sawada Shin… Who could've thought he was going to be this good?

After breakfast she took a bath and soon she was walking outside into the sun, greeting several other members of the Ooedo kumi and street vendors at the Kamiyama-chou. She walked towards the bus stop, cheering herself for being early (for once). As she was waiting for a bus someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Eh?" She turned around, eyes widening in shock as a familiar figure smiled at her.

"Shi-Shinohara-san!" She bowed in greeting.

"Yamaguchi-sensei, it's been a long time," said Shinohara, bowing in return.

"So…" Kumiko said, finding something to say. Even though she had been infatuated at Koujo-sensei, she had never really lost her crush for Shinohara. "Shinohara-san, where have you been? I haven't seen you for a while."

"Oh, I've been assigned at another city, apparently some group is causing havoc at that place, and they need me to take care of it," said Shinohara. "Uh!" He glanced at Kumiko guiltily. "I… I don't mean to offend."

"No, none taken," said Kumiko, waving her hands in front of her. "Any group who's causing unnecessary havoc is not to be overlooked, trust me. It's good enough for me that you've returned here safely."

"Thank you for your concern," said Shinohara. "Ah! Here's your bus! I'll see you again, Yamaguchi-sensei. Good bye." He bowed and pedaled away.

"Good bye, Shinohara-san!" Kumiko said, waving after the handsome policeman. She rode her bus to Kimigawa Gakuin, her new school. She smiled as she thought of her school. Now she's not just there to be a replacement teacher for some wimp, but she is there for the whole semester. A full-year teacher! Wasn't that a good thing after the short time she had last year?

Another thing about her school is that it's near to a well-known university at Tokyo, the Keiko University. She heard there are a lot of good students in that school, and was relieved. At least her students won't get into much serious fights this year.

The bus came to halt and Kumiko got out, anticipating her students for this year. She sighed happily as she stared up at the tall arc that graced the school entrance. Kimigawa Gakuin! Prepare yourselves! Yamaguchi Kumiko is finally here!

A new day, though nothing out of the ordinary. Sawada Shin woke up at the sound of his alarm clock, which was beeping at his bedside table. He pushed the stop button and got up, proceeding to take his morning shower. This was his second year at Keiko University as a business major, and he was at least satisfied at the way things were going --well, almost. The moment his father heard he was taking a Business Management course at Keiko University, he had reconnected Shin with the Sawada family, even offering to let him buy his son an expensive condo unit near the university. Shin politely refused, saying that he didn't want to be a liability. Instead he rented himself his own apartment unit still in the university belt and managed to fund his money and rent by working part-time for his father's business firm. He was semi-independent, that's for sure. He was working for his own money, though his father still wanted him to be kept straight and behaved, thus employing him at his company as a manager. What Shin really wanted was never to have any debt from his father as much as possible, but still being in touch with his family. Still, things are working pretty well, thanks to his decision to choose the university and study for his future.

He wondered what Yamaguchi would say if she knew how he was right now: successful, independent, in good terms with his family. Surely she would have a huge celebration and call over his old classmates for a reunion. Perhaps she would say he should start choosing his fiancé, as she often meddled with her students' love affairs. He smiled at the thought, and shook his head. Of course Yamaguchi won't know.

Ever since he made up his mind to study at the university and work at his father's firm he steeled himself and didn't show up at Kamiyama-chou anymore. Much as he wanted to visit the Kuroda family, who had been really kind and showed him what a family was really all about, he couldn't, for he knew that when he makes up with his father he will soon be checked upon every now and then, for the senator cannot endanger his reputation by having a misbehaved son. That meant he couldn't be seen anywhere near something as dangerous as a Yakuza family, much less the infamous Ooedo group. If anyone of his fathers' sneaky investigators see him with them, the Kuroda would be in extreme danger, including Yamaguchi and her career as a teacher, and he wouldn't want that to happen.

He sighed as he walked out of his apartment, fresh and fully dressed, ready for another day at Keiko University. He walked past establishments and cafes making for the school that was merely a block away from his residence. As he entered the university some girls stared at him hopefully, meaning to get noticed. Shin ignored all of them, trying to get his sleepiness out of his head and focusing on his goal to study until dismissal.

Oh well, that's the current life of Sawada Shin. As ordinary, routinely as it could ever be. Boring, if he really had a choice. However, what he didn't know that his life is about to take a strange turn, and the cause is just lurking around the corner at a nearby school. Lucky him.

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**Author's notes:** This is just a prologue. I submitted this to see if anybody is reading my fic. I'll continue this if I get a possible result from readers. I have a lot of stuff hidden up my sleeve, so, if you wanna see it, please review and tell me what you think of my first gokusen fic! Hai! That's all! Arigatou Gozaimasu! 

Jade

**P.S.:** I dunno with the school name (Kimigawa Gakuin). I just made up. Please pardon me. I ain't japanese.


	2. Chapter 1

**Ah, here it is! Chapter 1 of the fic! First of all I would like to say thank you to all those who reviewed, it really inspired me to get 5 reviews just in the prologue! I do hope you'd enjoy my installment, so just read on.**

**Note: This is where Uchi enters...**

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That night Tetsu and Minoru decided to have a break from all the work at the Kamiyama-chou. They heard that there was a new bar near the university belt of Keiko University, and thought they could go there and have fun with other partygoers.

They rode a black sedan to the Anzo Bar, anticipating the wine, the music, and, most especially, the girls. Too bad Wakamatsu-san and Sawara-san can't go with them, for the two were busy tending to the new construction business of the Ooedo Ikka.

As they neared the entrance of the bar, two pretty women went over and greeted them. The boys were very happy. This was going to be a night of their lives.

Shin sighed as he watched his two colleagues flirt with the girls. Even with the music going on, and the overflowing drinks, he was bored out of his skull. How he wished he hadn't accepted the invitation to go out clubbing.

He gazed languidly at his beer, trying to make sense of the swirling patterns making up the bubbles. Beside him, the girls giggled as Ichikawa-san and Sasuke-san made jokes with them.

Finally realizing he had enough, he stood up, meaning to get away from the flirting couples.

"Sawada-san, where are you going?" Sasuke asked, looking up at him.

"I just need a break," and with that, Shin strode out of the bar, desperate to exit the foolish realm.

He went into the men's room. Walking inside, he bumped into someone on the way.

"Hey you--!" Shin glanced up in shock as he stared into the menacing eyes of Asakura Tetsu, who transformed in surprise as well.

"T-Tetsu-san…" He couldn't believe it. Of all people, why did he have to meet him?

"Sawada Shin!" Tetsu looked surprised, then smiled, grabbing his shoulders. "Isn't it nice to meet you after all these time?"

Shin couldn't say anything, except to stare at him. Tetsu then put an arm on his shoulder as a comradely gesture and motioned him outside of the room.

"We're up at the VIP lounge, Shin-chan, I guess that's better than downstairs, isn't it?" He led Shin away from the noisy and crowded bar and up the stairs to a spacey room. As they entered inside, Shin saw Minoru, who was busy gulping down a huge cup of parfait.

"Aniki! Look who we have here!" Tetsu clapped Shin on the shoulder.

"Shin-chan!" Minoru waved cheerily at him in greeting.

"Apparently the boy has grown up, and he can now be seen at such bars at this time of the night." Tetsu grinned and propelled Shin to a couch.

"So, Shin-chan, what brings you here? A party, I expect?"

"My colleagues are persistent," said Shin. "They invited me to come here with them for a break."

"Really? That's good, then!" Tetsu poured him a glass of wine. "You're studying at some university, aren't you?"

"Hai," Shin agreed, then realized something. "How did you know?" He asked Tetsu.

"That Kumai boy told Ojou about you," said Tetsu. "He said you've been a good boy these past couple of years."

"Yeah," said Minoru. "What are you doing now besides studying, Shin-chan?"

"Well, I've been representing my father as a manager at his business firm," said Shin, drinking a bit.

"Sawada Enterprises? You've made up with your father, then," said Tetsu.

"Yes, I felt the need to restore my family connections," said Shin.

"You seem to be happy enough," said Minoru.

"I am," said Shin.

"Well, Shin-chan, away from the subject, l just wanna ask you, why haven't I seen you around Kamiyama-chou these days? Why didn't you at least pay us a visit for all those years you were gone? Kumai even told Ojou that you weren't communicating much with your past classmates." Tetsu said.

"Tetsu-san, Minoru-san, will you please do me a favor?" Shin said after a while.

"Anything for you," said Minoru.

"Please, don't tell her that you've seen me here," said Shin.

"Why, Shin-chan?" Tetsu asked, knowing who he was referring to.

"Please try to understand my situation," said Shin, his head bowing. "I have made up with my father, and the extent of my wild freedom is going to a bar with some colleagues occasionally. Being seen with a Yakuza member like you will not be appropriate. I cannot bear to bring the Ooedo group in danger, especially your Ojou's job."

"Shin-chan…" said Minoru, gazing at Shin with newfound respect.

Tetsu looked at Shin respectfully, touched by the way he cared for the Ooedo Ikka and his Ojou. "I understand," he said. "We will not inform Ojou of your appearance. Your secret is safe with us."

"Thank you," said Shin. "And Tetsu-san…"

"Yes?"

"I regret to say this… but… it would be much better if this will be our last meeting, too." Shin bowed his head lower.

"We understand," said Tetsu.

Shin felt bad after seeing Tetsu on that fateful night. Just when he thought he could just erase his past and start on with a new life, away from his delinquency that severed his ties from his high-profile family, here comes a meeting to bring back all the memories and the happiness he missed from all those years of keeping up the Sawada family reputation. Oh well, he thought. This is our last meeting anyway. I could just get on with my life after this.

Unfortunately for him, this isn't the extent of the past that has come to haunt him all over again.

After school Yankumi decided to go with Wakamatsu to the new construction firm the Ooedo family had set up near Ginza. It's not that she has any intention of taking over the business after a while, she just thought she'd go over to share some support as her obligation as the group's Ojou. She dressed in one of her kimonos and followed the wakagashira into the black sedan and rode over to Sakishima Enterprises. They arrived at the tall building and walked into it, greeted by the employees of the firm. They took the elevator upstairs into one of the offices to start their tour.

After going around some departments Yankumi began to feel bored. She wasn't fit for this job, that's one of the reasons why she wanted to be a teacher. Going around a really big building all day signing papers and inspecting oh-so-boring workplaces… No way they'd get her into that.

Wakamatsu led her to the employment section, where recent interviews are held. She heard that the applicants today are young men with hopes for a good paying job. She was a bit intrigued. Young men often reminded her of her students.

They entered the spacious room, greeted by one of the executives overseeing the job applications. They sat on the chairs, looking at the men trying to get the new job. Most were satisfactory, with college diplomas to keep them up the ground. However, Yankumi began to lose interest. Damn, another one of those stupid office businesses.

As they neared the end of the list, Yankumi was getting impatient. The interviewer called the next applicant over.

Who came through the door made Yankumi's eyes wide in surprise.

"So, you're name is Uchiyama Haruhiko, isn't it?" The interviewer asked.

"Yes," said Uchi. As he bowed down, he glanced to his right and caught his former sensei's eyes, who was gazing at him in shock.

"Y-Yankumi…"

"Uchiyama! What are you doing here?" Yankumi stood up, her fists clenched and shouting at her past student as if he'd committed some delinquent act.

"I'm the one who should be asking you that!" Uchi replied, eyeing her female Yakuza getup.

"Watch how you speak to the Ojou, Uchiyama," said the interviewer.

Uchi gazed at Yankumi in surprise. "You… you own this place?"

"It's my family's new business firm. Now, you're the one who shouldn't be here! This is a yakuza-managed firm! Go find a safer place!" Yankumi yelled at him.

"I'm not you're student anymore," said Uchi. "I'm here for the job."

"But we're Yakuza! Don't go near a place like this!"

"Whatever you say, I need the job, Yankumi," Uchi argued. "H-Hey!" He gave a start as his old teacher grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room.

"Yankumi! What now?" He said, wrenching from her grip.

"Uchiyama Haruhiko! Don't ever dare go near this building again, you understand me?" Yankumi said.

"Why not?"

"I told you, we're Yakuza! It's not good for you to be here. Go find work somewhere else! I'll help you, only you'd forget this job!"

"No! Yankumi, the job is too good for me to ignore. And I'm old enough, am I not? I'm not a high school student anymore, so don't go ordering me around!"

"Uchi…"

"No!"

Yankumi sighed. "I… I guess you lost your old job, haven't you?" She asked him.

"I did," said Uchi. "They fired me. Only because I got into a fight with one of my coworkers after he insulted my mother and her work at the matchmaking agency." Uchiyama looked furious, then sad.

"Was it that bad?" Yankumi asked.

"Well," Uchi sighed. "We were in the middle of the construction site that time. I pushed him off the way, and he fell. Luckily we were just on the second story of the building, but the fall did hurt him badly, too. Knocked skull, they fired me, now I don't know where I'd get the money to pay for his hospital bills, and to help my mother out." He looked sad and frustrated, some of the things Yankumi didn't want his students to feel.

"Uchiyama…" Yankumi gazed up at him, pitying her former student. If only there was something she could do to help him with.

"I really need the job, Yankumi, I beg you," said Uchi. "Please let me be."

"I… I understand," said Yankumi. "Go on in there, Uchi, I'll be right behind you."

"Thank you," Uchi walked back into the room with Yankumi. As she entered, she addressed the interviewer with a firm nod.

"Ojou," the interviewer said, bowing.

"This young man is my former student." Lots of gasps issued from around the room. "He may have only finished high-school, but I guess me being his teacher is enough, ne?" The executive could only agree with her, in fear of what might happen to them if they won't. "I think that'll count for a good resume?"

"Of… of course, Ojou," said the interviewer. "Uchiyama-san," he addressed Uchi. "Please come back here next week for another interview."

Yankumi winked at Uchi as the interviewer prompted the next applicant. "Hey," she said, elbowing him.

"What?"

"Wanna have lunch? The building has a good restaurant."

"If you're buying."

"Of course I am!" Yankumi turned towards Wakamatsu. "Wakamatsu-san, do you mind if me and my student just have lunch for a bit? I haven't seen him for a while."

"It's alright, Ojou," said Wakamatsu, grinning.

The two sat in the restaurant, ordering their meals. Yankumi then smiled at Uchi, who was looking around, feeling apprehensive.

"Hey," she said.

"Hmm?"

"First time?"

"First time what?" Uchi asked.

"You know, to enter a fancy restaurant?" Yankumi gestured at the room they were in.

"Yeah…" said Uchi.

"It's been a long time, don't you think?" said Yankumi.

"About four years, I think," said Uchi.

"Four years… we've been living through four years not hearing from each other," said Yankumi, considering.

"I guess so…" said Uchi. "I mean, Noda, Minami, Kuma and I hear a lot from each other and all the other 3-d students, except for Shin-chan."

"Sawada? You didn't hear from him?"

"The last thing we heard about him was that he accepted a university proposal after a year, and he made up with his father. After that he just disappeared and never talked to us again." Uchi said these things, gazing at his cup of tea. "I didn't think Shin would do something like that."

"I'm sure he has a reason," Yankumi assured him, although inside she was also confused. "He may be preparing for something big."

"But he wasn't the Shin we knew since we started at Shirokin," said Uchi. "He's changed. It feels like he doesn't care for us anymore. For four years… only Kuma saw him, and just once. He went through college without even telling us what's happening in his life."

"Uchiyama, trust me, someday we'll be able to find out why he acted that way. Right now it would be best if we would just leave him like that, since this is his life. He'll come back eventually. There's no way Sawada would just forget about you all."

"I do hope that's right," said Uchi, and drank a bit of his tea.

"Anyway, enough of Sawada, I guess he makes us depressed," Yankumi began picking on her meal. "Uchi, what about you? How's life? Anything interesting?"

"Well, aside from the fact that I got fired from my last job, nothing interesting had actually happened to me ever since I left Shirokin," said Uchi. "I just started helping my mom with the household finances, we managed to move out of that apartment and go to a better one, just that stuff. However, if I don't get a job soon, we fear that we might lose the apartment rent. That's why I want to go as quickly as possible."

"Why this place, then?" Yankumi asked.

"Mainly because the salary is twice my previous one, and also because it's near our house. It's only now I knew that this is a yakuza business, that's why I came here bravely."

"Well, I guess you'll like it here, then," said Yankumi. "However, we are not through yet. What about your love life? Anything intriguing?"

"None at the moment," said Uchi, biting on a shrimp. "I've been immersed with my work, I hardly had time to consider straight dating. Minami, however, had gone through so many girls these past years, I lost count. I guess we all have our luck in romance."

"The time will come, Uchiyama," said Yankumi. "Who knows, the girl might just be around here somewhere. You just have to look around."

"What about you?" Uchi said. "You're, like, 27 years old by now. Isn't it about time you marry?"

"Me? Well, I still don't know about that," said Yankumi. "It's not like there's a worthy candidate."

"You're not still in-love with that goody-goody policeman, are you?" Uchi asked.

"I…" Yankumi couldn't answer. Of course she was still in love with Shinohara-san. However, the feelings are starting to fade now, as their time for each other wasn't much due to their background differences. She drank a bit from her cup. "I guess Shinohara-san and I won't work out well, would we?"

"Yeah, you're yakuza and he's police. Big differences. Gigantic." Uchi was speaking through mouthfuls.

"Yeah… I guess I'll have to find someone else then," said Yankumi, sighing.

"Who knows, you might end up being an old maid or something," Uchi joked.

"No way! I'd find someone when the right time comes, and I'll marry him. I won't end up loveless, unlike you!" She stuck out her tongue at Uchi.

"Hey! Take that back!" Uchi said.

"Haha. You're the one ending up single, Uchiyama-kun! Not me!" With that, Yankumi threw down her napkin, meal forgotten. She zipped from the restaurant to the exit, Uchi running after her.

"Take that back! Yankumi!"

"Ahh! Old man! Old man! I guess I'll have to call you Oji-chan then!" Yankumi ran even faster as Uchi lunged at her because the tease.

"Oji-chan! You'll pay for that! Yankumi!"

It has been a week since Shin had met Tetsu and Minoru at the bar. Because of their meeting, Shin had made it a point to avoid bars and clubs altogether. Instead, he focused on his role as college topnotch and heir of the Sawada Enterprise. His family role so far was indeed appreciated, and Natsumi was having a good time because he came back into the family. In fact, she even started becoming more motivated to go into a prestigious university for the sake of her brother. Shin couldn't be any happier.

That was all he could think of, for the past was too much for him to bear. After disappearing from his friends and classmates' lives for the past four years, he doubted if they'll ever take him back again. They might even think of him as an ambitious man, much like his father, and started to dislike him much as they disliked adults back when they were in high school. They might have even forgotten about him and went on with their lives. Right now that seemed to be the right thing to happen. However, much as he tried, Shin couldn't bring himself to seek out anything positive from these notions.

This was his world. Work, college, family. There was the occasional friends and colleagues, but nobody cared for him enough. He may be happy for his sister, for his mother, and even for his father, but, for himself, he was all but happy.

Sawada Shin knew that he was lonely, and he couldn't do anything about it.

Having learned that Uchiyama got the job he was vying for at the firm made Kumiko really happy. Since Uchi was the only person from 3-D that she saw often, the two made it a point to hang with each other as much as possible, occasionally even with Kuma, Noda and Minami and some of the other 3-D students. Much to her surprise, Kumiko found herself growing closer and closer to her former student.

Her closeness got to the point where Uchi began to get invited for dinner with the Ooedo Ikka. He started to associate with Tetsu and Minoru, much like Shin did back in the Shirokin days, and the family was happy with him, although it was mostly because they missed Shin, and Uchi was a perfect substitute. He even started a bit of training with Wakamatsu-san, and was beginning to get stronger and stronger as time passed. Kumiko was happy for him, for she knew that Uchi really needed the guidance of her family, that, even though they were yakuza, they'll be able to teach him the aspects of life and what he needed to keep on going. Uchi himself was thankful, and sometimes he even felt jealous of Shin because he was the first one to experience these, way back before the whole school knew of Yankumi's true identity.

Another thing was, much as he try to control it, Uchiyama couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of attraction for his former sensei. He felt as if she was one of the people who brightens up his day, and guides him through life. She was his beacon, and she was his hope. He had no idea how that actually happened, but the realization had started from the pit of his stomach, coursing through his spine, making his heart pump and beat wildly.

He was starting to fall in love with Yamaguchi Kumiko… Yankumi… his sensei…

"Hey, Yankumi," Uchi said as they sat at the riverside near Yankumi's current school, eating soda and chips from a nearby convenience store.

"Hmm?"

"Did you and Shin, you know, do stuff like this before, too?" Uchi couldn't hold himself. He had to ask.

"Yeah, we did," said Yankumi. "Although Shin was a lot harder to speak with than you are, and we ended up just eating the food."

"How come you treat me the same way, then?" Uchi asked.

"Hmm? Why are you asking me that?"

"I mean, do I really feel like Shin to you? To all of you?"

Yankumi stopped drinking from her can of soda, and looked at him. "Uchi, you're completely different from Shin. He was an entirely different case. Why did you ask that anyway?"

"I dunno," Uchi shrugged. "Maybe because I feel like I'm just a substitute for Shin. Like, they still wish that he was here, but he isn't, so they'll have to make do with me."

"Uchi, where did you get that idea? You're not Shin, okay? You're different. Shin is important to them in a way, and so are you. Don't feel so insecure."

"I'm sorry," said Uchi. "I was being childish."

"Damn right you are," said Yankumi. "Uchi, you're special to us, to me. Don't compare yourself to Shin. You'll only pressure yourself."

"Am I really that important to you?" asked Uchi.

"Of course you are! Why ask?" Yankumi looked at him.

"Nothing," said Uchi. He smiled to himself as he gazed towards the river. He was special to her, only her. That was enough for him.

"Hey, it's already getting dark. Why don't we call it a day?" Yankumi got up from her position and brushed off her pants. Uchi followed suit.

"Yeah, I think we should, but can't we just stop over at the convenience store? I forgot to buy something."

"Okay, then," the pair left the riverside and made for the shop that was just a few blocks away from the university belt. All the way Uchi was smiling and he looked happy, Yankumi was starting to get confused.

"Hey… you seem to be happy, eh? That love-struck look… any girl I know?" She elbowed Uchi on the side.

_You know her, alright, _Uchi thought to himself. To her he said: "No, nobody right now."

"Aww, you're keeping secrets from me? That's not fair, git!" Yankumi said, pouting.

"I told you, it's nobody," said Uchi.

"I'll let you slide this time, but next time you gotta tell me who the lucky girl is," said Yankumi as they entered the convenience store. Uchi bought his extra grocery while Yankumi waited near the door.

"I'm done," said Uchi as he approached her, carrying his bag of goods.

"Aw, come on, you shouldn't have bought this much, it's not like we don't have these stuff at Kamiyama-chou," said Yankumi as they walked out of the store.

"It's for my mom," Uchi replied.

"Uchi… You're mom must be so lucky to have you…" said Yankumi fondly, messing up his hair. However, Uchi didn't reply. Instead, he stared out in front of him, eyes wide in surprise.

"Hm?" Yankumi turned to see what he's looking at, and froze, for someone, a stranger for four years, had reappeared in front of them, wearing the same expression of shock the two wore.

"Shin…"

* * *

**Fine, there we have it. Chapter 1. Just by looking at it I felt that I may be rushing things too much, so please do tell me if I am, and I'll do best to make the next chapters better and more tame. Well, just to tell you, this is not all that there is. Not just Shin and Uchi and Shinohara thrown in front of Yankumi. Just as the title says, it's Gokusen 3: a Fanfiction. If you want me to include some of your suggestions and make this story a bit more colorful, just as the real drama version, please include it in your reviews. This story is created for all those who enjoy gokusen and I will do my best so that this fic serves its purpose. That's all, guys. Arigatou gozaimasu!**

**Jade **

**P.S.**

**To Leaviel: "gozaimasu" is just an add on to make a word more formal and polite, I think. The most formal version of arigatou gozaimasu is Domo Arigatou Gozaimasu, and the most common and casual usage is Arigatou.**

**Hope this will do!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Um, it sure took quite a while for me to upload such a short part TT. However, I tried hard to relay the feelings of each character in this chapter properly, because this is such an important part of the story. I'm sorry if it's all drama, but I guess we're gonna be needing this for the continuation of the plot.**

**To those who feels like it isn't like Shin at all to be missing from his friends lives, well, I guess there's a possibility of him doing that especially if it concerns his family. I just know that even though there's a definite gap between him and his father, he still feels sad to be apart from him and cause such a great conflict in the family. Being welcomed back is quite tempting, and, in Shin's matured mind, proper enough. However, it's not like he's reallyhappy, is he? He still miss his old friends, but he doesn't know how he'll make up for all those years he worked for his family.**

**Rather interesting insight, eh? Well, more on the real chapter, so let's get going, then.**

**-Jade**

* * *

Shin stared in shock as he saw Uchi and Yankumi walk out of the convenience store. Aside from the fact that he wasn't expecting he'd see them around here at this time, he was also rattled that they were together, looking obviously happy together.

"Shin…" Uchi stared at him as he stood there, unable to say anything. Yankumi looked up at him in surprise, though there was the happiness of seeing him visible in her eyes.

"Sawada! What are you doing here?" She asked, her tone impressively familiar, as if four years hadn't passed by.

"I should be asking you the same thing," said Shin, recovering his ability to speak.

"Well, my school is just around here," said Yankumi. Uchi was still looking at him, not speaking, as if he'd seen someone familiar, yet felt that he was a stranger. Shin couldn't blame him. It was, after all, four years.

"Uchi! Aren't you happy to see Sawada? Come one, say something!" Yankumi elbowed Uchi, and he gave a start.

"It's… It's nice to see you, Shin," said Uchi.

"Same here," said Shin in a painfully polite fashion.

"You guys! You've been friends since high school and yet you treat each other differently! Come on, you should be happy to see each other!" Yankumi scolded the two.

Both didn't say anything, as they were feeling awkward.

"Ah! I know! Come on, let's go somewhere," said Yankumi, grabbed both boys' arms, and dragged them from the convenience store.

"Yankumi! Where are you taking us?" Uchi said incredulously.

"I know a good ramen shop, let's talk over some food," said Yankumi brightly, and dragged them into a store just near the university belt.

The two sighed deeply as they sat in one of the tables, watching as Yankumi placed her orders. Finally, their sensei looked back at them, beaming happily.

"This year must be lucky enough for us, isn't it? We start to see old friends and reunite with them."

The two were quiet. Yankumi still wasn't about to give up.

"Sawada, why didn't you at least call us? Kuma said you're studying now, and you've finally made up with your father. You should've at least met with us once so we can celebrate with the others."

"I was busy," said Shin curtly.

_For four years? You were busy enough to forget us? _Uchi thought, and his fists clenched, his anger building up on the young man beside him.

"Surely not that busy enough," said Yankumi. "Uchi said you never called anyone of them for the past years."

Shin glanced at Uchi, who was staring down his lap. He sighed. "I had a lot of things to do. Surely you understand that."

Their orders arrived, and the three began eating their ramen, Yankumi trying desperately to liven up the conversation.

"Where are you studying now, Sawada?" Yankumi asked as she ate.

"Keiko University," said Shin.

"Hey, isn't that just a few blocks away from my school? We're neighbors, then?"

Shin shrugged, not wanting to encourage the conversation.

"Where do you live, then? Did you move back with your father?" asked Yankumi.

"I live at an apartment in the university belt," said Shin.

"Your father pays for your rent, I suppose?"

"No, I work for it," said Shin.

"Huh? Where do you work, then?" Yankumi asked.

"I work at my father's firm," said Shin. "I'm a manager."

"Really?" Yankumi stared up at him in pride. "That's why you were so busy! You're being a good son! Sawada, I'm so proud of you!"

Uchi could not take anymore of the charade. If that was the reason why Shin had disappeared without saying a word, he didn't think he could accept it, for the Shin he knew wouldn't trade his friends for his career and ambitions.

"You were too much of a good son, then," said Uchi, finally speaking. "For you to forget us, and make us think you don't want us anymore."

"Uchi…" Yankumi looked at him, as the young man clenched his fists, controlling his anger.

"Why didn't you just tell us that you didn't want to be our friend after all?" Uchi exploded. "For the past few years we waited for at least a call. When you told Kuma that you made up with your father, we started to think we're not good enough to be you're friend. We're all hopeless delinquents, we're not rich, and we have to work hard just to have food to stuff our mouths with. You, you're a senator's son, you're respected. Was that Shirokin stint just a show to make us think that rich children aren't all that bad?"

People were starting to stare. Yankumi looked at Uchi in shock, not expecting him to be that way in front of an old friend. Shin, however, remained calm.

"You have no right to tell me that," said Shin. "You don't know anything."

"So, that's why you stopped associating with us, isn't it? Because we don't know anything? Because we're too stupid that we can't get those perfect grades you got back in high school?" Uchi yelled.

"Uchi, please," Yankumi pleaded, trying to console him.

"Why can't you be a man and tell me the reason why you left us? Shin!" Uchi stood up and banged his fists on the table.

"I don't have to explain myself to you," said Shin. He put his chopsticks down and left his seat.

"Sawada!" Yankumi stood up and followed the young man as he walked out of the shop. She grabbed his arm, making him stop.

"What?" Shin turned around and glared at her, annoyed.

"Sawada, please, try to understand Uchi," said Yankumi. "He was just hurt because of all those years you kept away from them. I'm sure he's happy to see you, too. He's still your friend, after all."

"I don't need a friend who doesn't understand me," said Shin. "He was being selfish. Do you think by the way he acted he was happy to see me? I think it would be for the best if we don't see each other again." With that, he strode away, leaving Yankumi standing behind him.

Yankumi sighed in frustration as she watched her former student walk away. Why did it have to end like this? She turned around and walked back to the ramen shop.

Uchi was sitting at the table, still angry. She sat in front of him, looking at him in the eye.

"Uchi, I understand why you're angry, but you shouldn't have yelled at Sawada like that," said Yankumi.

"It was all his fault," said Uchi stubbornly. "He tricked us into believing he was a real friend. We didn't know he was very much like his father."

Yankumi sighed again, and spoke. "Uchi, come on, we'll eat dinner at my house." She picked up her bag and stood up, Uchi sighing and following her out.

As they walked outside, Yankumi glanced at Uchi, seeing the hurt and angry expression distinctly present on his face. She sighed again. _Well, those were the better days._

-------------------------

The dark space of his apartment was enough to complete the mood Shin was in. He walked inside, and dropped on the couch, sighing and cradling his head in his hands. Why did he have to see them, of all people? Why can't the past just leave him and let him be?

He glared at his lap, trying to get rid of the feeling of sadness and anger coursing through him. However, as much as he tried, he couldn't take away the fact that his disappearance had caused a huge amount of distress among his former companions. _It's too late to do anything about this, you fool, _he told himself. _You chose to live this way, therefore you face the consequences of your actions._

His train of thought were interrupted at the ringing of his phone. Shin got up and picked his phone from the table, and answered it.

"Hello," he muttered, not really in the mood to speak with anyone at the moment.

"Shin." It was his father. Inwardly Shin groaned. What does he want now? He didn't think he could deal with anymore problems after all that has happened today.

"Father. What can I do for you?" He said politely.

"I just want to remind you that there will be a family dinner tomorrow," said Sawada-san. "Your mother and I expect you to come. We have important things to discuss."

"Yes, I'll come by," said Shin. "Will it just be us four?"

"We will have some guests, so come prepared," said his father.

"I understand," said Shin.

"Good bye," his father hung up, and Shin put the phone down, sighing.

Of course, he still have his family to attend to. There was no escaping his responsibilities, and he knew that. He just hoped that he had enough strength to deal with it without breaking down.

-----------------------------

Fortunately Uchi had calmed down after settling for dinner with the Ooedo Ikka. Yankumi, however, was still upset because their meeting with Shin hadn't been that productive. He was, after all, one of the men she treated as if family, and he was one of the Ooedo kumi, even though she didn't actually approve of it. Seeing him so distant from them made her sad. Why did he end up that way?

She walked out of her room to the balcony, hoping to get some quiet time and see the stars. To her surprise, she saw that Uchi had gotten there first. She walked over to his side, resting on the railing.

"You're still here?" she asked.

"Yeah," said her former student. "Ojii-chan asked me to stay for the night. I couldn't refuse him."

Yankumi smiled a little, knowing that Uchi won't refuse a chance to spend the night with the Ikka. She sighed and looked upward, gazing at the stars.

"Uchi..."

"Mmm?"

"Will you tell the guys?"

"Who?"

"Kuma and the others." She said.

"About what?"

"About Sawada."

Yankumi could feel him tensing up beside her, and realized he was still angry at Shin. "I don't know, maybe. I guess they need to know that anyway."

"Maybe they'll even try to win him back, don't you think?"

"I doubt that'll work," said Uchi with a snort that showed no humour. "He seems to be rooted to his father's side."

Yankumi glanced at Uchi, seeing the distraught expression on his face. He was really affected by the way Shin acted, and she couldn't blame him for feeling that way.

"Uchiyama..."

Uchi turned to look at her. Yankumi smiled and put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I really appreciate the fact that you care for your friends that much," she said. "You're a true person, and I like you for that. Just keep in mind that you can't just have your problems to yourself. I'm here to help you. Don't hesitate to ask."

She then turned to glance back at the house, and yawned. "I guess I should be going, then. I have an early class tomorrow. Good night." She turned and began to leave.

Uchi stood there, millions of emotions coursing through his him, making his head hurt. He managed a hesitant call.

"Y-yankumi..."

"Mm?" She turned and looked at him, her large eyes staring up at him expectantly.

So far Uchi had used all the self-control he had in himself. Unable to keep his emotions from showing anymore, he stepped forward and captured Yankumi in a tight embrace.

"U-uchi..." Yankumi eyes grew wide as he held her in his arms, his tight grip rendering her unable to move.

"Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you for being right here for me."

In her mind Yankumi didn't know whether to punch the lights out of her former student for making a sudden move, or to tighten the embrace and pull him even closer, assuring him that she'll never leave his side. She chose the latter, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around him, leaning her head on his chest.

"Shush. I won't leave you, and you know that."

They stayed like that for quite a while, each savoring the moment, their mixed emotions battling inside their exhausted minds.

* * *

**Riiiight. Okay, guys, that's it for the chapter. I'm sorry for the sudden turn of events but let me assure you that Yankumi's feelings are entirely platonic at the time. She's just doing that merely to let Uchi feel better. Uchi however, is not entirely innocent with the embrace, is he? Well, that's to add up spice to the story. Bear with me guys! We'll see this through, even if this takes us a whole bloody year!**

**Arigatou Gosaimasu!**

**--Jade**


	4. Chapter 3

**A.N.: Good day, guys!!! I'm back with an update!!! I'm really sorry for the long wait, but schoolwork was really dragging me down along with some problems and lack of inspiration. I'm really grateful to those who reviewed. I love you guys!!! This is another chapter in the lives of Shin, Uchi and Yankumi in my little Gokusen world… Hope you enjoy!!! **

blaine36

Shin rode a cab to the Sawada mansion. He walked in the house to be greeted by Natsumi, who wrapped her arms around him.

"Oni-chan!" Shin smiled at his baby sister's affectionate ways. He patted her hair a little awkwardly.

"Hey," he said.

"We're gonna have a family dinner with some of dad's friends today," said Natsumi, pulling away from him. "They're waiting at the dining room."

They left the front hall and made their way towards the dining room, where Sawada-san was situated, along with their mother and their guests.

"Shin," his father addressed him as they arrived in the room.

"Otoosan." Shin bowed in response.

"Do you remember Kotomori Genzo? He's one of my friends from the congress." Sawada-san addressed the man sitting at one side of the table. Shin bowed down to him too.

"Good evening," he said.

His eyes traveled over the stately man to his wife, who was surveying him in a way that made him feel conscious. Beside her was a young, pretty girl, dressed in a dress that looked like it's worth more than his condo unit. She was gazing at him awkwardly, a blush creeping up her already rosy cheeks.

"Come join us," his father motioned to a seat at the other end of the long table. Shin obliged, walking smartly to his designated position. Natsumi followed him and sat at one side beside their mother.

"Now that we're all set," his father began. "Why don't we start the dinner?"

Everybody ate, although Shin could feel that this was not the main purpose of this meeting. After a while, it turned out he was right.

"So, Kotomori-san," said Sawada-san, looking up from his meal. "I'm glad you gave time to bring along your daughter. She is indeed a beautiful girl."

"Yes, Megumi is quite a smart girl. She is studying at Imagawa University and is one of their top students," said Kotomori-san.

"I see," said Sawada-san. "Ah, Shin, along with Kotomori-san is Himiko, his wife, and Megumi, his daughter.

Shin addressed both with a slight bow.

"A pleasure to meet you," he said, as Himiko-san smiled and Megumi blushed deeper.

"Megumi is a very pretty girl, is she not, Shin?" Sawada-san said.

"Uh…" Indeed, she was pretty, but not up to his unique taste in women. "Yes, father, she is."

"Aha! I'm always sure that no man can resist the charms of my daughter!" said Kotomori-san in a mighty voice. Sawada-san chuckled.

"Shin here is no exception," he said.

Shin smiled politely as Kotomori-san surveyed him through brimmed spectacles. "You are indeed a very smart man, Shin. Your father speaks highly of you."

"I told Kotomori-san that you are the best student in Keiko University, Shin," said Sawada-san. "And I also mentioned your high-position employment in my company. Kotomori-san and his family are most impressed."

"I appreciate your recognition," said Shin politely.

"A remarkable man indeed," said Kotomori-san mightily. "Quite suitable for Megumi-chan here, isn't he? What do you think, Reiko?" He addressed Shin's mother.

"They're a match made in heaven, Kotomori-san," said Reiko.

"What do you say, eh? Shin?" Kotomori-san turned his gaze to Shin, who was watching the conversation, surprise slowly creeping on his face.

"It's… It's up to your daughter if she thinks I'm suitable," Shin said as politely as possible.

Everybody then turned their eyes to Megumi, who was sitting there, her face beet red.

"Megumi?" Kotomori-san addressed his lovely daughter with a firm gaze.

"I-I think he's a very remarkable man, father," said Megumi after a few moments of hesitation, her eyes never leaving her lap.

"You have her approval, son!" Kotomori-san chuckled mightily. Shin's brain reeled. Since when was he called son by Kotomori Genzo?

The rest of the evening dragged on, while Shin had to put up with the matchmaking procedures his father had arranged for the evening. While his face bore an ever polite smile, his insides were churning as he realized that this "family dinner" was done to introduce to him his fiancé, Megumi.

If only he was his old, rebellious self. He would have walked out on this meeting/marriage trap for sure.

But he couldn't do it. Not now. Not when he regained his father's trust and the comfort of a family. He had Natsumi to think about, and just watching her cry if ever his father disowned him again would surely break his heart.

These thoughts were interrupted as Kotomori-san marked the end of the family dinner.

"Ah, look at the time!" Kotomori-san dropped his napkin on the table. "Sawada-san, we better go before we overstay your welcome."

"Oh, not at all, my dear colleague," said Sawada-san. "Also, I'm sure Shin here would like to spend some time alone with Megumi, to know her better." He gave Shin a meaningful stare.

Shin thought he would be better off by himself than chatting with an ever-blushing mannequin, but he knew better than to disobey his father's orders.

"Of course, father," said Shin politely.

"Well, then, why don't you take her to the lounge while Kotomori-san and I discuss business at the library?" Sawada-san led his colleague to another room while Himiko and Reiko left, chatting. Natsumi, Shin and Megumi were left in the dining room, all silent.

Natsumi was the first to speak. "Um, I think I have homework. Megumi, Oni-chan, if you would excuse me," she left the room, winking at Shin before she disappeared.

Now the two of them were alone. Shin was battling a strong urge to stalk out of the room, as he glanced at a blushing Megumi.

"Uh…" He rattled his brain for anything to say. He never had this problem talking to girls. But then, before this all he had to do was cock an eyebrow before walking away unscathed. This time it's different. He had no choice but to entertain the girl.

Megumi spoke first. "Shin-san, I know this is awkward, but our fathers think we suit each other well, and I don't want to disappoint them, do you?"

Silence was answer enough for her. Her blush growing deeper, she continued talking. "This shouldn't be hard, anyway. I already think you're cute."

Shin sputtered, for the first time blushing. "You- you think I'm—"

"Yes," she nodded, for the first time smiling. It lit her already radiant face perfectly. "I've already seen your picture. You were quite known in a district called Shirokin. A lot of people said you were ruthless and rebellious, but I've seen that you've changed a lot. You've matured. That doesn't change the fact that you are a natural heartthrob among the girls in Tokyo, and pretty hard-to-get too."

"I don't go around pleasing girls," said Shin matter-of-factly.

"And so it seems. That's why it's quite some luck to be your fiancé, Shin-san," said Megumi, gazing up at him through innocent eyes.

"You're quite pretty yourself," said Shin a bit nervously. He couldn't believe he was saying this without his father's supervision. Maybe it was her innocent semblance to Natsumi that was working wonders. "Don't say that it was mere luck."

"Hearing it from you is a huge treat, Shin," said Megumi. "I know that I'm the only girl you have graced with that compliment."

Shin didn't answer. All he knew was that every time he opened his stubborn mouth all the things he'll say will bring him closer to the girl, and he doesn't want that to happen.

"Come on, Shin. Let's go the balcony," Megumi walked away, leaving him to follow. Shin sighed, knowing that he can't refuse his father's orders.

What in the blazes has he gotten himself into?

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The next morning Yamaguchi Kumiko woke up, her hair sticking out in all places like always. Her late-night talk with Uchi had left her a sleeping up 'til ten this morning. She yawned, and looked at her watch. She peered at the device stupidly for a minute before realizing the time. Then her eyes widened in shock. Oh no. She was late. She was _severely_ late.

"I'm late!!! I'm sooo dead! I'm very, very late!!!" Yankumi emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, brushing her hair while at the same time trying to put on her socks. As she hopped about in a circle trying to get her various body parts in the right clothes, the door opened, revealing a cheery Uchiyama carrying a tray of her morning meal.

"Good morning, Yamaguchi-sensei!" He said in an excellent resemblance of an old family butler. "I bring you your morning meal! Thy master has ordered me to see to it that you eat your breakfast before you leave for work."

"Oh, leave me alone," said Yankumi irritably as she dropped her hairbrush for the umpteenth time. "Can't you see that I'm late? It's all your fault! You shouldn't have kept me awake last night!"

"Woke up in the cranky side of the bed, haven't we," said Uchi, flashing her a dazzling smile. He placed the tray on a nearby table and picked up her hairbrush. "Here," he handed her the brush, which she took huffily.

"Oh, come on… You don't need to be such a grumpy individual, do you?" Yankumi sighed.

"I'm so late… The principal will have my head for this, you know…" she said, and slumped on the bed, running a hand through her hair, which was still not locked in her usual pigtails.

"Cheer up, the principal can't be that bad," said Uchi. He understood that Yankumi cared deeply for her job, and she wouldn't want to lose it by just being late. He took a bowl of rice from the breakfast tray and handed it to Yankumi. "Eat your breakfast. You won't have energy for your students if you don't put anything on your stomach now."

Whatever put Uchi in a cheerful mood Yankumi did not know, but she took the rice bowl anyway, and smiled at her former student at last.

"At last, you smiled!" Uchi waited as Yankumi ate half of her meal then stood up, handing him her food.

"This will have to do, Uchi, I can't be late now," she then fumbled in her vanity table for some bands for her hair. Having completely forgotten where she usually put it, she closed the drawer with a bang, muttering.

"Where did I put them last, dammit?" She murmured, searching the drawer top for the missing bands.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, stopping her from her frantic search. She turned to look at Uchiyama, who was looking at her intensely.

"Don't bother looking for them," he said after a moment. "You look better without the pigtails, anyway." He leaned forward and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "Not that I really care. I like you just the way you are."

He then walked out of the room, carrying the breakfast tray with him, leaving Yankumi to gape, open-mouthed, at his retreating form.

**A.N: Ahh… this chapter is too short! But I promise to update reeeeaaally soon! Oh… and just for a glimpse, next chapter will be a meeting between our two fave Gokusen characters… guess who! And Megumi will make another appearance… And oh… review please!!! I just luuurve to hear what you guys think about my story!!! **

**blaine36 **


	5. Chapter 4

**A.N.: Haaah!!! And here's the next update, guys!!! You know what, I'm pretty much amused at the way things are going in my story. I love twisting plots… and giving people headaches, hehe… But, don't worry! Nothing is final yet! As for now, you can't wallow in despair thinking that Shin will end up with Megumi. But don't be sure about the ShinKumi part too! Oooh… I'm sooo evil, haha… Anyway, on with the story, folks!!!**

**blaine36**

The university district was, as usual, alive with the students and workers rushing about their business. Shin was no exception. Bag held tightly in one hand, he pushed through the tide of students making their way toward the school. As he reached the building, he made for the stairs, walking briskly. He then bumped with a small figure, also looking like it's in a hurry, sending it sprawling on the ground. He looked down to see Megumi staring up at him, a blush forming fiercely on her cheeks.

"Are you alright?" Shin reached down and helped her stand as she brushed down her dress. He picked up her things and handed it to her, making Megumi blush even more.

"I-I'm okay," she said, smoothing her hair. "I'm sorry; I didn't look where I was going! I was such in a hurry!"

"It was me who wasn't careful," said Shin. "I don't mean to pry, but this isn't your school, right? How come you're here at a school day?"

"Oh, I was processing an application with the principal," said Megumi. "I'm transferring to Keiko University today as a Business Management student."

"What?! You- You're transferring? _Here?"_ Shin stood there, shocked. Why did she have to transfer here, of all places?

"Father made me," she said, looking a bit put out. "Are you a bit uncomfortable with the fact that I'm studying here with you? I can cancel the transfer if you like. I have a feeling father wants this just to make sure we'll get closer to each other."

"N-no," Shin lied. "I'm okay with it. I'm just… surprised…" With this Megumi blushed even more and looked down.

"Oh! Look at the time!" Megumi then jumped as she glanced at her watch. "You better get going Shin-san, or you'll be late. I have to go to the registrar's office, anyway."

"Uh… okay," said Shin, starting to leave.

"I'll see you later, Shin-san," Megumi smiled up at him, again making him wonder how her face can be so pretty. Why did he have to think that!? She waved at him then departed, walking with an extra spring in her step.

Shin sighed as he watched her leave, running a hand through his hair. What next? She'll share his apartment? And the fact that he's starting to think she's pretty is not helping matters.

Sighing heavily, he then made his way to the classroom, a million thoughts running through his head.

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Wind played havoc with her hair as Yankumi made her way out of the Kimigawa school building after dismissal. Tucking her hair behind her ear to stop it from obscuring her vision, she smiled as she thought of the students' reaction to her new do. A lot of her female co teachers had said it suited her better, and her students were staring at her with their mouths wide open, not used to their childlike teacher without the pigtails. She blushed as she thought of the reason behind the loose do.

"_Don't bother looking for them," _he had said. _"You look better without the pigtails anyway." _Then he had kissed her. Yankumi blushed even fiercer at the memory of his cool lips on her forehead, then stopped dead on her track, eyes wide.

Did she just blush because of him? Her former _student?_

She slapped herself twice on the cheek, as if ridding herself of the blush that had taken residence on her visage.

It was just a mere kiss on the forehead! It was a platonic, friendly kiss done because he feels like he wants to!

_Oooh, really? _said a small voice in her head. _I don't recall a single, freakin' time Tetsu ever kissed you on the forehead, or Minoru for that matter._

"Oh, shut up, you," she said to herself, setting off once again.

_Since when did you start talking to your head? _The small voice inside her head said. _Face it, Kumiko, there's a certain bit of romance going on between you and that Uchi-bozu… Real smooth… for a former student like him to like his sensei…_

Having lost track of where she was going Yankumi didn't notice she was straying towards the Keiko area, moving along the tide of people to the University belt. As she emerged to a less trafficked area she bumped with a tall man who was making his way to a ramen shop.

"Wha- Oh! Sorry!" Yankumi was pushed to her senses at their collision and looked up to see the surprised Shin gaping down at her through dark eyes.

"Sa-Sawada!" Yankumi said, shocked to see his former student the second time this week. Oh well, this was the Keiko University district, after all.

"Yankumi," said Shin, his surprise evaporating, his face coming back to its expressionless state.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" She questioned him, for all the world like he was her student again.

"I'm getting food," said Shin flatly.

"Food…" said Yankumi, nodding matter-of-factly. After a while of nodding she remembered that she received a text message from Uchi a while ago saying to bring home some ramen. "Oh! I forgot, food! Uchi asked me to buy some ramen today! C'mon!" She grabbed Shin by the hand and pulled him into the shop, where they ordered their ramen.

"So…" Yankumi began as they sat in a table, wallowing in awkward silence. "Do you always go here for food?"

"Whenever I feel like it," said Shin quietly. He was gazing straight at her, as if studying her intently. "You have your hair down," he said after a while.

"What? Oh, this," Yankumi laughed good-naturedly, one arm behind her head. "Uchi said I look better without the pigtails. I couldn't find them a while ago, and I was late too."

"Uchi lives with you?" said Shin, disgusted at how accusing his voice had sounded.

"No, not really, he just spent the night at our house. He's working at our company, after all." Yankumi smiled happily.

"Your company?" said Shin, surprised.

"Our group owns a construction company just near where Uchi lives," said Yankumi. "I personally had the office hire Uchi because he really needs a job at the time. Everything worked well for us in the end. With him working at the company I spent more time with my former students, as I can see them whenever I want to."

"How are they?" Shin asked, forgetting for a moment that he shouldn't really care about whatever happened to his former classmates.

"They are well, I suppose," said Yankumi cheerfully. "Kuma's running his father's ramen shop, Minami is busy with a lot of girlfriends, Noda now works for a famous fashion line, and even Yuki made it to a lovely college!" She clapped her hands in a gesture of cheer and grinned at Shin.

"Well, they could be a lot better, you know," she said. "If you would just try to make time and show up for just one party with all the other 3d guys…"

"I can't," said Shin suddenly.

"Huh?" Yankumi's smile froze on her face.

"I – I've got a lot of things to do. My schedules all filled up, I can't even have time for myself, much less parties," said Shin.

"But don't you miss them?" Yankumi asked.

"…" Shin didn't answer Yankumi's question. He just stared at his bowl and wished that he could go away and be alone in his apartment.

"Sawada, they miss you…" said Yankumi. "How can you not miss them too?"

Shin was spared a response when his cellphone rang. He took it from his pocket and answered the call.

"Shin," it was his father. "I need you here at the office immediately. Where are you?"

"I'm at a ramen shop, father," said Shin. "I'll be there in minute."

"Be quick," said his father, and hung up. Shin tucked his phone back in his pocket and looked up to see Yankumi, who was watching him.

"I'm needed at my office," said Shin. "I really have to go."

"Oh!" Yankumi stood up after him. "I should be going too. I have to get home early, anyway." The pair walked out of the ramen shop. Once they were outside, Yankumi turned and smiled up at Shin, who maintained his usual dark expression.

"I'll see you, Sawada," she said. "I hope next time we can really talk." With that, she walked away towards the bus stop. Shin watched her leave, wondering if things will ever be the same again.

_Just keep your head up and turn your back on the past, Shin._ He told himself. _You'll see, they'll stop bothering you._

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

It was nearly dark when Yankumi finally made it home. She walked inside to be greeted by the Ooedo kumi.

"Ojou! Welcome back!" The kumi bowed in greeting. Yankumi smiled at them and made her way in the household, looking for a certain young blonde.

"Looking for me?" A husky, low voice appeared behind her ear when Yankumi peeked in a room. She turned to see Uchi smiling at her through his light locks.

"Uchi! Here's the ramen you asked for," Yankumi handed him the bag and smiled cheerily. "I got enough for the whole kumi."

"Thanks," he took the bag and laid it on a nearby table, turning his attention back to Yankumi. "So," he said in the husky voice that made Yankumi blush a little. "You kept your hair down."

"I-I thought you said it was fine," Yankumi stuttered, unsure of what to say.

"Better," said Uchi. He leaned down on her and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

"Uchiyama…" Yankumi's blush went deeper as she tried to fight it. "I… I don't think this is…"

"I don't really care, Yankumi," said Uchi. "I'm not your student anymore." He leaned in closer, until his face was inches from hers.

Yankumi did not know what was stopping her from protesting. She just closed her eyes in a dreamy trance as she waited for his lips to close on hers.

Uchi couldn't believe this was actually happening. It was like some kind of dream. He went closer to her, so that they're lips were centimeters apart.

Then he stopped.

"Not yet," he whispered to her lips. "I don't want you to do something you'll regret, Yankumi." Her eyes fluttered open at that, and she gazed at him, her blush fiercer than ever.

"I'll wait for you to feel the same way I do," he said. "I won't hurry. I might end up losing you instead."

Yankumi couldn't say anything. This was her former student, one who almost kissed her and was now telling her he'll wait for her. It wasn't right. But, strangely, she felt warm and happy. Maybe because he's the first guy ever to give her this kind of attention.

"Right," Uchi backed away and picked up the bag of ramen. "Dinner's gonna be ready in a minute. I'll put this in the kitchen." With that, he left a stunned Yankumi standing by his bedroom door, walking with an extra spring in his step.

**A.N. That ends the next chapter of my story. Umm… I hope you're not scared by the way things are going… I promise things will turn out well in the end. As I said, I love headaches!!! And I love the idea of sharing them!!! Ooh… So, bout the uchi/Yankumi pairing… well, I kinda like it… Can't say if I'm gonna let them be… Maybe I will maybe I won't… So review if you want me to change things or not!!!**

**Next Chapter: Megumi transfers to Keiko University and Kuroda announces the upcoming charity event!!! (I think a certain reviewer would love to find out about this one… winks)**

**Jade-chan  
**


	6. Chapter 5

**A.N.: To everyone… thank you sooooo much for the reviews! You know what, those reviews are what keeps me writing… To those who hate the Uchi/Yankumi pairing… Don't worry, nothing is decided yet!!! We're still doing the warm up, just to get you ready. To those who like it, well, thanks for sharing the same view. It's too cute for me to ignore… I HAVE to include it in the story, no matter what. I love the idea, can you blame me???**

**Anyway, we still have Shinohara to add some kicks in Yankumi's heart… Oh, and Tetsu's love is cute too… I like the way he's devoted to Yankumi all the time… I think I gotta include it.**

**And Megumi, she's not that bad, as you can see. She's nice, beautiful, and smart. A real Mary Sue. Don't worry, Shin doesn't like her… yet. But I have taken a liking to her already! I think I have to make her life easier…**

**Hehe, gomen for the long note… On with the story, folks!**

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Everybody gathered around the table, anticipating the simple yet delicious ramen dish Yankumi brought home. Kuroda was the last to come, and he sat down at the center, smiling at the smell wafting from the food.

"Itadakimasu!" The kumi said, and dug in as soon as Kuroda and Yankumi started eating. Uchi was among those who ate eagerly enough, and soon had a second helping. Wakamatsu noticed his liveliness easily.

"Uchi-san, you seem so happy tonight," said Wakamatsu as he dug in his own bowl.

"Eh?" Uchi glanced up from his ramen. "Oh, it's nothing." But the evident smirk on his face revealed it wasn't really nothing.

"A girlfriend, maybe," said Minoru, greedily dumping a third helping on his bowl. "Who did you meet at work, eh? Uchi-san?"

"Haha, that receptionist at the construction company, maybe it was her," said Tetsu, laughing. "Every time I go there with this punk I often see her gazing at him. And blushing!"

"Whoa, you hit with her?" said Sawara incredulously. "You're the man, Uchi!"

Uchi just smirked at the laughing kumi. Little did they know it was their boss he was hitting on.

Yankumi, however, did not take this view of things well, thanks to her simple-mindedness. She put down her bowl angrily.

"Hey! What did you say?! Uchi is not the man! He is hitting with the receptionist!"

"Uh…" The kumi fell quiet, suddenly sorry for laughing. Uchi stared at Yankumi's flushed face.

"That receptionist likes every guy that passes through her desk! She's a bimbo! She'll date even an old man like Wakamatsu here!"

"Ojou… don't be so cruel…" Wakamatsu mumbled.

"I can see your concern, Kumiko," said Kuroda, chuckling. "The receptionist is bad for Uchiyama. It's easy for you to get angry for his sake."

"I-I…" Yankumi stared at her bowl, her face hurriedly reddening. It didn't help that the real reason she was angry was because she jealous. Of her former student. Yeah. Great.

"Well, as everybody seems to be quiet, I feel it's my turn to announce something," said Kuroda, looking at his red-faced granddaughter, the blonde who was busy staring at her, and the rest of the humbled kumi. "I have prepared an event that will take place the next month."

Everyone looked up at him. It was a surprise. No traditional events were scheduled these months.

"Our newest construction company will host a charity event this November. Every group we know is invited, and since the company's Yakuza origins are well hidden, I have also decided to invite some powerful civilian companies as well. Our beneficiary will be the children in the Tomoyama Orphanage near our district."

"Ojii-san! Civilian companies? Inviting them to a Yakuza gathering will be dangerous!" Yankumi protested.

"That's why I need you to act like civilians as well," Kuroda said. "This gathering is important to make alliances, and to help those children. The powerful companies in Tokyo, even if not Yakuza, will make good allies in the coming years. And they love helping orphanages. If we're to host an event, we have to make it a big one, like this.

"Wakamatsu, Sawara, I want you to take care of the whole event. You handle the buffet, the entertainment, and the auctions. Tetsu, Minoru, you handle the invitations. Send letters to every big company in Tokyo, and to our friends and relations. A lot of groups will want to join into this."

"Ojii-san…" Yankumi said, amidst the joint "Ossu!" of the kumi.

"Don't worry, Kumiko," said her grandfather with a smile. "This is for a good cause. The gods will bless us with a successful event."

"Hai, Ojii-san," said Yankumi softly. Hopefully it will turn out right.

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Shin was in his office when the company messenger came in.

"Sawada-san, I have a letter from Sakishima Enterprises."

"Isn't that supposed to go to my father's office?" said Shin, not looking up from his work.

"I'm sorry, but your father's on a meeting. He told me to bring it to you."

"I'll have it," said Shin, taking the letter from the messenger and waiting for him to leave. As the door closed he opened the letter.

"Sakishima…" It was his first time to hear of the company. He opened the card.

_I, Kuroda Ryuiichirou, the Head of the Sakishima Enterprise, invite you to the upcoming charity event this November 7, 2007. An auction and dinner buffet will be held in celebration of the company's early success in the industry. Benefits will be given to the Tomoyama Orphanage of the Kiba District._

_We hope to see you there._

_Kuroda Ryuiichirou_

_CEO, Sakishima Enterprise_

Shin's eyes widened in shock. Kuroda Ryuiichirou? The Head of the Ooedo clan?

What the hell was he doing, giving invitations to civilian companies!? And a charity event, there's bound to be other Yakuza groups coming too. It was too dangerous an act.

He thought about refusing the invitation, but his father already knew about the letter. _Think, Shin. Think!_

Sure enough, the door opened, showing one of his officemates.

"Shin-san, your father wants you in his office."

"I'll be there," said Shin, and stood up, taking the letter with him.

He entered his father's office. Sawada-san sat there, waiting for him.

"Shin, did you receive the letter?"

"Yes," said Shin. "It's an invitation to a charity event."

"Ah, when is it?"

"7th of November," said Shin.

"I have something to do by then," said his father. "I need you to represent me."

"R-represent you?"

"Who else can do it better than my own son?" said Sawada-san. "Oh, and be sure to bring Megumi with you. Kotomori-san would like you to."

"O-okay, father," said Shin. "I will."

_And here we go again… If this keeps up, I'll tie myself to a post just keep myself from seeing them again…_

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**A.N.: Sorry if it's short, but I don't want to put the charity event here. Better wait for the next chapter then… Again, reviews make me happy and soooo inspired to keep writing! Bribery with it will be most welcome!**

**Jade-chan**


	7. Chapter 6

**A.N.: At last, the 6****th**** chapter! It's not much, but I already threw in the charity event. It's not a major climax in the story. I'm just bubbling up the excitement; this is just the start of a roller-coaster ride! Keep supporting the Gokusen fanfic society people! Maybe someday we'll get to see the REAL Gokusen 3…**

**That's it, then… Read on, folks…**

**blaine36**

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After dinner Yankumi went out to the balcony, breathing in the fresh air. She was really worried about the upcoming charity event, but she trusted her grandfather's judgment. It was still a dangerous act for the whole Yakuza world, but she knew that Kuroda knows what he is doing. He is a wise man, after all.

"Worried about the event?" Uchi came next to her.

"I don't know," she sighed. "I trust what my grandfather thinks is right… But, it's too dangerous! What if something happens?"

"I know a way to keep those pompous civilians' paws off the Yakuza groups," said Uchi.

"Huh?" Yankumi turned to stare at him.

"You, the gorgeous granddaughter of Sakishima CEO. You'll be the belle of the ball."

"Wha--?" Yankumi turned red. "Uchiyama! What are you playing at!?"

"Nothing, just an idea," said Uchi, smirking.

"B-but, you…"

"Heh, you're already pretty, you just have to sway your hips with the music of the rich and stuck-up." Uchi said.

"You! Take that back!" Yankumi punched his shoulder.

"Oh, and I would like to be the lucky man who will take the beautiful granddaughter to the ball, and be the object of everyone's envy." Uchi said, leaning back on the railing, staring at her.

"I…" Yankumi's face, if possible, grew redder.

"What, you don't want me to be your date?" said Uchi. "Still thinking about asking that cop Shinohara, I suppose." He added, just loud enough for Yankumi to hear.

"No! I'm not thinking about him!" And it was true. Yankumi hadn't once thought about the handsome cop for the past days that Uchi kept him company. "It's just that you… you're my student…"

"Not anymore," said Uchi. "It's been four years since I've graduated, Yankumi. I'm already twenty-two. I'm not your student anymore."

"But still," Yankumi gripped the railing. "I don't think I should-"

"Yankumi," Uchi's firm voice cut her sentence. "I won't give up on you. You're the only girl I ever felt this way."

"Uchiyama…" Yankumi looked up to his eyes.

Uchi went off the railing and walked back inside.

"Nobody else will have you at the 7th," he said as he walked away.

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Shin paced around his office, thinking hard. His father expected him to attend the charity event, but he knew that he'll meet the whole Ooedo kumi there, and that is not supposed to happen.

Oh, and there's the fact that he'll have to bring along Megumi too.

_Damn! _He ran his hand through his hair, frustrated and not knowing what to do. He knew he'll have to invite Megumi before his father does. And that will make things worse than ever.

He picked up the phone and dialed Megumi's number.

"Hello?" Megumi's voice answered the other line.

"Megumi," Shin said. "I… I just want to ask you something."

"Oh, Shin-san, wh-what is it?" Even through the phone she sounded blushing.

"Uh…" Shin never invited women to dates before. "Th-There's an upcoming charity event this November 7th. I'm to represent my father, and I think I should bring a date." He stopped there, not knowing what to say.

"A-and…?"

"Would-would you like to come with me as my date?" Shin brought his fist to his forehead, punching himself for being so nervous.

"H-huh?" Megumi sounded surprised. "I-I don't…"

"It-It's okay if you don't want to," said Shin, mortally embarrassed. "I understand-"

"N-no!" Megumi cut through his excuse. "I'd love to go with you! I really do!"

Shin sighed, half relieved and half mortified. He was saved by the embarrassment of being turned down, but now he had no excuse to get out of taking Megumi to the event.

"Thanks," he breathed. "I'll-I'll see you then."

"O-okay," said Megumi. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Ja ne," and with that, Shin hung up. He put the phone back and ran a hand through his hair, cursing the fate that brought him to this stupid predicament.

"Dammit," he whispered, plopping down on his chair.

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The much awaited charity event grew nearer and nearer. Kuroda's people in the Ooedo district were bustling around, readying the auction items and various forms of buffet. Tetsu and Minoru were going back and forth around Tokyo chasing after various businessmen and handing them the invitations. Kuroda watched these all with a mild smile on his face.

"Kumiko," he called to his granddaughter, who was sitting beside him, drinking a cup of tea.

"Hai, Ojii-san?"

"I arranged someone to take care of your dress for the event," he said, knocking Yankumi off her seat.

"Wha—!? Ojii-san!" Yankumi whined, climbing up from her fall. "You know I hate doing those!"

"I want you to be beautiful in the event, so that I'll be the envy of all the other grandfathers there," said her grandfather.

"B-but…"

"No buts, Kumiko," said Kuroda. "She'll be coming at the 6th. I wish you to be fully cooperative. It's for you, anyway."

"Oooohhhh…" Yankumi sighed.

And sure enough, the woman arrived before the event. She stared at Yankumi through critical eyes.

"So, this you are the Ojou of the Ooedo kumi, ne?" She said. Tetsu and Minoru nodded.

"Hai, she is Kuroda Ryuiichirou's only granddaughter." Tetsu said.

"Okay, then, let's get you to the boutique." The woman grabbed Yankumi's arm and dragged her out of the Ooedo household. "God knows how long this is gonna take."

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Uchi stood in the hallway of the Ooedo mansion, trying to contain his nervousness. He was supposed to take Yankumi to the charity event, and now he was feeling a little nauseous. He wasn't like this with women. That Ooedo Ojou was the only girl who made him this anxious.

Finally, after an hour of waiting, the door to Yankumi's room opened. Everyone watched as the Yakuza heiress stepped out.

Uchi had to hold on to a chair to stop himself from toppling to the floor.

The kumi's jaws dropped, marveling at how beautiful their Ojou is.

Indeed. Yankumi wasn't wearing the usual yutaka she wore to Yakuza meetings and O-miai. Instead, she had on a lovely pink dress that went down around her feet. Her hair was down, though it was held with a shimmering flower clip. She looked down, blushing as the kumi continued to stare at her. Tetsu, however, couldn't take it and fainted right then and there.

Uchi recovered from his daze and walked over to Yankumi, offering his arm.

"Sh-shall we go, then?"

"H-hai," Yankumi took his arm and they walked out of the house, leaving the kumi who was busy trying to revive the fallen Tetsu.

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It was grand inside the huge ballroom in the Sakishima Enterprises building. Shin, however, have seen enough architectural marvels to last him a lifetime, so he wasn't particularly amazed at the décor. Instead, he was fighting a strong urge to yawn as his date chatted beside him over the mild champagne. Megumi's very pretty this night, he had to admit, with that blue dress that flowed around her knees and the nice hairdo emphasizing her already radiant face, but he couldn't quite bring himself to get interested in whatever she was saying. Apparently the only thing Megumi wanted to talk about tonight was the status of various guests in the charity event. Unfortunately for her, she couldn't quite capture his interest as Shin didn't give a damn about who-owns-what.

"That one is Masumori Taeda. His family has owned the Masumori Hardware corporations for five generations. He's the current CEO, although father doesn't think he has any business abilities in him."

All Shin could do was nod and bury his head in the champagne glass to drown an oncoming yawn.

Megumi then proceeded to rattle about how backwards Masumori was in the business industry, but Shin drowned out what she was saying. He was busy thinking if he's going to see anybody in the Ooedo kumi tonight. He hoped fervently that he won't have to meet Yankumi again.

His train of thought was shoved aside when the huge doors of the ballroom opened to reveal a battalion of intimidating members from the Ooedo clan. The whole hoard of party guests froze as the kumi glared down at them through fierce eyes.

_Do these guys even plan to act like businessmen for the rest of the night? _Shin wondered as the men clad in tuxes walked inside the bar, revealing an even more elite group of gangsters, including Tetsu, Minoru, and the wakagashira, Wakamatsu.

In the middle stood the main man of the night, Kuroda Ryuiichirou. Megumi gasped as soon as he saw him.

"Is that the Sakishima CEO? Wow, he sure looks like a very good businessman with all those bodyguards!"

Shin didn't answer his fiancée. _He's more than just a good businessman. And those aren't just bodyguards. _Those were the thoughts that ran inside his head as he surveyed the scene.

Kuroda smiled at his guests and walked inside, leading his small procession of thugs to a nearby table. Shin was thankful nobody recognized his presence just yet.

But, unfortunately for him, that wasn't the last of the show. After the kumi came a gangster of a much more feminine physique, clad in a lovely gown and looking for all the world like a goddess. Shin's breath caught in his throat.

It was Yankumi.

_God, she's beautiful._ These thoughts came rushing in his head. Four years weren't enough to wash away the one-and-only crush he had for his former teacher. And, judging by the situation now, he wasn't sure if he'll ever hope to be able to.

But that wasn't the only thing that made Shin's breathing clamp shut. For his former sensei's arm was wrapped around Uchiyama's, his former classmate and friend. How he managed to be her date for the party Shin didn't know, but he was sure he had a sick feeling at the pit of his stomach as he tried to accept the couple's arrangements.

"Shin-san, who is that girl?" Megumi asked him.

"I-I don't know," Shin lied, and proceeded to finish his champagne, trying to get drunk but failing.

"She looks pretty," said Megumi admiringly. "But that guy beside her looks kind of average."

Judging by the way Uchi acted around the rest of the Ooedo kumi, Shin knew he wasn't average anymore.

His old colleague led the Ojou to the place where Kuroda and company were gathered. The CEO was now starting to chat away with the guests of the party. Yankumi and Uchi stood there, politely making small talk with some of the other young guest.

"Oh, look, dad's finally going to meet Kuroda Ryuiichirou," Megumi whispered as Kotomori Genzo walked towards were the CEO was situated and made greetings with him. Kuroda chatted merrily with him as if they were old friends, a trait Shin admired in the Ooedo boss.

However, he wasn't prepared for the spectacle Kotomori was going to cause. He seemed to be getting along quite well with Kuroda that he started introducing friends to him. And by 'friends' he meant Shin and Megumi.

"Shin! Megumi!" Kotomori-san beckoned them to come over. Smiling, Megumi dragged a reluctant Shin to where his father and Kuroda stood.

"Kuroda-san, this is my daughter, Megumi." He gestured towards his pretty child and Megumi greeted him politely.

"And this is Sawada Shin, his father's representative tonight and my daughter's fiancé." He smiled at a quiet Shin who was trying to stay away unnoticed, but was quite unable to.

"Ah, Shin-chan, it's nice to see you again," Kuroda greeted him cheerily. "It's been quite a while, hasn't it?"

Tetsu and Minoru, who weren't quite able to contain their excitement, dashed towards a totally unprepared Shin.

"Shin-chan!"

"You're here!"

The two strong thugs enveloped Shin in a big bear hug, almost choking him. Kuroda chuckled as Shin struggled for breath inside the huge embrace.

"My dear men, try not to cut off Shin's air," Kuroda reminded them. Tetsu and Minoru immediately loosened their hold on Shin, though they still had those happy looks in their faces.

"You have no idea how often we prayed to the gods only so you'll show up tonight," Tetsu told him.

"It seems like they heard our prayers after all," said Minoru happily.

"You two… you sent the letter to my father?"

"Aww, we knew your father was too much of a prude to attend the charity event," said Minoru, not quite thinking. "Ouch!" He yelped as Tetsu smacked him at the back of the head.

"Eh, what Minoru meant was that your father was too busy. We predicted he'd let you go instead," said Tetsu.

"You!" Shin hissed. "Didn't you even remember a single word I've said in the bar before you sent the invitation?"

"Huh?"

"At the bar near Keiko University!" Shin whispered just loud for them to hear.

"Aw, we got drunk, Shin-chan," said Minoru offhandedly. "You're here now anyway. There's no point leaving just because you don't want to see her."

Shin glared at the two before sulking back to Kuroda and Kotomori-san. Megumi stared at him confusingly as he stood beside her again.

"You know them, Shin-san?"

"Yes, I was wondering about that too, Shin," Kotomori-san chimed in.

"W-well, um, they…" Shin started to explain, but he was cut off when a surprised voice called his name.

"Sawada!" Yankumi elbowed her way through to him. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm a businessman, baka," Shin mumbled as Yankumi and the others stared at him.

"You are?" Yankumi said confusedly.

"I work at my father's firm, remember?" said Shin. "I'm here to represent him."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Sawada Shin's former teacher at Shirokin Gakuin, Yamaguchi Kumiko!" She bowed at Kotomori-san and Megumi. "Are you his relatives?"

"Shin is my future son-in-law, Yamaguchi-sensei," said Kotomori-san.

"Oh? So, you're engaged, eh? Sawada?" Yankumi said, smiling at the quiet Shin. "I didn't think you'd -grow so quickly! Last time you were all 'I-don't-want-a-girlfriend' crap, but now, look at you! You're already ringing the wedding bells!"

"Shut up about it," Shin muttered at her.

"Haha, don't get shy now, Sawada!" Yankumi said, pushing him playfully at the shoulder. "I'm so proud that you're finally in a relationship! It's so cute to see you go all fuzzy and blushing!"

"I'm not blushing," Sawada protested at Yankumi.

"Of course you are! Uchiyama!" Yankumi reached between the crowd of gangsters and pulled Uchi out of it, placing him in front of Sawada. "Hey, did you know Sawada's already engaged?"

Uchi stared at him. Now all Shin wanted to do was to get out of here before his former friend caused a scene. "Sawada." He said curtly in greeting.

"You're here, then," Sawada said in the same manner.

Yankumi, who was watching the exchange with anxious eyes, cut between them. "Oi, you two. It's a party. You're supposed to act all cheerful and drunk and greet each other like old friends!"

"What's he doing here anyway?" Uchiyama asked.

"I was invited. What are _you _doing here?" Shin answered back.

"If you didn't notice so far, I'm here to accompany Yankumi. I'm here as her date," Uchi said.

"She doesn't need a date," said Shin.

"Yes, she does," said Uchiyama. "Every girl need's a date."

"She's different."

Yankumi cut between them again before the small talk could go to a full blown fight. "Heeeey… We're in a party, remember?" She said meaningfully, glancing at the small crowd of people who are watching them.

Uchiyama removed his glare from Sawada. "If you don't mind, I'm outta here." He walked away from the crowd.

"Oh, I apologize for him," said Yankumi to Kotomori-san. "I understand why those two can't get along now, it's just too hard for them." She then saw Megumi beside the curious businessman. "So, you must be Shin's girlfriend, if I'm not mistaken?"

"I'm Kotomori Megumi," Megumi reached out her hand and shook with hers. "I'm Shin-san's fiancée."

"Now I know what got Shin to date!" Yankumi said cheerfully. "You're so pretty, Megumi-chan."

Megumi blushed. "Th-thank you, Yamaguchi-sensei."

"No problem, it's the truth! Isn't it, Sawada?" She glanced at the quiet Sawada.

"Y-yeah," he muttered, although he'd rather not admit it.

"See? Oh, you two look perfect together!" Yankumi said. "I'm so happy, Sawada!"

"Don't be," Sawada said irritably. Brushing off his comments, Yankumi smiled sweetly at Megumi and Kotomori-san.

"I'm sorry, but I have to catch up with Uchiyama-kun," she said. "I'll leave you to enjoy the party, then!"

"We won't keep you, Yamaguchi-sensei," said Kotomori-san politely. "Go talk to him."

Yankumi smiled at them again and left, leaving Shin staring after her. Megumi noticed his sullen look for the first time in the evening.

"Shin-san, what's the matter?"

"Oh, n-nothing," Shin pulled his eyes away from Yankumi with difficulty. Megumi raised her eyebrows but said nothing, deciding not to push the matter with him.

Deciding he couldn't just stay put in this place, Shin walked away from the group of businessmen mingling. Megumi called after him.

" Shin-san? Where are you going?"

"I'm going to the men's room," he replied and walked on, leaving Megumi surrounded by the crowd of other guests.

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**A.N.: Um, that makes up the 6****th**** chapter of my little fic here. I divided the charity even into two chapters, and the 7****th**** is coming up next. I hope you like where things are going here. I think you can notice that the Shin/Uchi rivalry is livening up!**

**I need to know if you have any ideas for the story, just to keep me from having a writer's block (it takes months for me to overcome it, y'know). I have a lot mapped up in my mind already, but it doesn't hurt to know what the readers want. This fic, after all, is for Gokusen fans all around.**

**I hope you like the fic, guys. Thanks for reading! Please take time to type a review after you read, it lifts up my spirits – a lot!**

**Sayonara!**

**blaine36**


	8. Chapter 7

**A.N. Hello everyone! Sorry for the late update, but I've been really busy lately. But here it is, Chapter 7! Enjoy your reading, folks!**

**Oh, yeah… Is anyone here a Harry Potter fan? If you are, do you support the Harry/Hermione or Draco/Hermione ship? And do you have a knack for fantasy/adventure stories? Those who fit into these categories might be interested in co-writing or at least beta-reading one of my new fanfics. Just pm me and I'll give you the plot and the first chapter. Help is urgently needed!**

**Well, anyway… go on, then…**

The cool breeze wafting outside the Sakishima building was what Uchiyama needed as he went out on the balcony. He sighed and leaned against the railing, closing his eyes as to relieve his tension. He was not anticipating Shin's appearance tonight, especially in a Yakuza-driven place. Seeing his old friend made him relive the anger he felt at his desertion.

"Uchiyama," Yankumi's voice sounded from behind him. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to get out of there," Uchi replied, not looking at her. "I felt it was too crowded at the place."

Yankumi sighed and walked over to him. "You know you shouldn't act like that whenever Sawada's around," she said. "You could at least try to act civilly."

"Why should I?" Uchi said. "He doesn't deserve it."

"I know it's hard for you, Uchiyama," said Yankumi. "But please, don't fight with him. For Ojii-san's sake, at least."

Uchi turned to look at her, his eyes anguished. "You don't know how hard it is, Yankumi, to just act like nothing happened." His eyes flared with anger. "It's bad enough that I get to see him whenever I least expect to. I get worked up when I see his face! It's because until now I can't figure out why he left us for his stupid stuck-up father that wanted nothing with him other than his obedience and business smarts!"

Yankumi watched as Uchi put a hand over his forehead, trying to quell the overwhelming feelings that had come with his statement. She grabbed his arms and stared at him in the eyes.

"Don't hurt yourself with such thoughts," she said. "It's true that Sawada hasn't been with us for the past years, but it's time that you move on, Uchi. It's not helping you. You're such a good friend to care about why he did what he did, but it's Sawada's choice to whether to come back to his family or not. It's not our position to dictate what he'll do with his life. The best thing we can do now is be happy for him, whether we like it or not."

"It's so easy for you to be happy for him," said Uchi sullenly. "I can't be you, Yankumi. I can't be happy about these kind of things. I know Shin well. It's not like him to just give up and go back to his father."

"Uchiyama…"

"I'll be inside," he said, pulling his arms from Yankumi's grasp. "I'm gonna go get a drink." He walked away from her and entered the ballroom, not noticing that somebody had watched them talk.

Yankumi leaned against the railing, frustrated at Uchi's stubbornness to accept Shin. She sighed exasperatedly, willing her frustration to wash away.

"It's hard to talk to him, isn't it?" said a voice from behind her. "Don't worry about it; I can handle him being like that about my life now." She turned around and saw Shin staring at her, his hands buried in his pockets.

"S-sawada," she said, surprised at his sudden appearance. "Why are you here?"

"Nothing," he said. "I felt like going here. I didn't know you two were out here."

Yankumi groped for something to say. Right know she didn't know whether to punch him for just disappearing like that and coming back when they least expect it or to just be happy for him like a good old homeroom teacher would. She stared at him in a mixture of anguish and concern, making her look like she had a bad indigestion.

Shin stared at her. "If you don't want me around then I'll go, there's no need for you to look like that."

"Uh…" Yankumi wiped the look from her face. "Sawada, it's not that I don't want you around. It's just too hard keeping up with you two while you're fighting! I mean, you used to be good friends, but now it's like you don't know each other. Uchiyama acts like crap when you're around while you just stand there without giving us any reasonable explanation why you didn't show up for four years and act like it doesn't matter! What do you think I should do? Try to be happy for you while I go around making Uchi feel better when he's angry?"

"H-hey, you don't need-"

"I don't know what I should do with you guys anymore!" Yankumi said furiously. "Sawada! Why can't you just say what really happened? It's not like it's gonna kill you anyway!"

"It's none of your business whether I decide to go back to my family or not," said Sawada coldly. "It's my life, isn't it?"

Yankumi stared at him, as though gaining control of her ranting rage. She sighed exasperatedly and leaned on the railing, turning her back on Shin while she tried to grab on to her anxiety.

Shin watched her back, his expression unreadable. "You know, attending this charity event only made things worse." He walked closer to her, though she still didn't look at him. "It's not like I don't know about the company's real affiliations. You're just wasting your time with the Sawada Industries."

"I don't know the reason behind all this, Sawada, and I don't think I can wiggle any explanation from you right now," said Yankumi, her back still turned on him. "I'm not your teacher anymore, so I'm not privileged of any information about what's happening on your life." She sighed and finally turned to face him. "Everything is new about you, but that doesn't stop us from caring. We're still waiting for you to come back. Every one of us, even Uchi. You're not a stranger, Sawada. Don't try to be one. You're a part of our lives whether you like it or not."

"I _was_ a part of your lives, Yamaguchi," said Shin, his old stranger term for Yankumi returning to his vocabulary. "Right now I can't be one. Can't you see that I'm working for my father? I have my own concerns, and I can't bother myself with what happened in the past. You don't have to waste too much time on me. You have the other guys to deal with."

Yankumi maintained her firm gaze at her former student, who had suddenly transformed into another person in front of her. She sniffed a bit, but remained stony faced. "I-I see. It's none of my business, right? Thanks for enlightening me about it." She walked away from him, back to the dazzling ballroom where everyone else was gathered. "I hope you'll enjoy the party." She added before she disappeared inside.

Shin couldn't quite decide if he's going to be relieved or angry with himself for what happened. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to get rid of the sinking feeling in his stomach that came with Yankumi's words.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Yankumi walked inside the ballroom, searching again for Uchiyama. He was her date, after all. She spotted him near the punchbowl, and could see that he was starting to drink too much champagne.

She strode over to him and snatched the glass from his hands. "Uchiyama," she said sternly. "We're not in a bar."

"Aww, you're killin' me, Yankumi," Uchiyama slurred as he made to grab another bottle of wine. He had already finished his first one. He threw his head back and gulped down the contents of the bottle.

"Uchi!" Yankumi pulled the bottle away from him. "This is a charity event! Don't you try to mess this up with your drinking! And you have work tomorrow, for goodness sake!"

"Stop being such a mother hen," said Uchi irritably, gazing at her as she stared up at him through angry eyes.

"Damn well I'm not!" She said, annoyed. Suddenly, without warning, Uchi grabbed her hands and steered her to the middle of the ballroom. He twirled her around, moving to the sound of the music.

"H-hey!" Yankumi said indignantly as she was danced by a drunk Uchiyama. "Uchi! I don't dance!"

"Yes you do," said Uchiyama as he pulled her close, changing his rhythm while the orchestra started playing a slow tune. Yankumi was then forced to move her feet with him, dancing while the other couples around them sighed happily with the music.

"You're drunk," she hissed at her former student. Uchi responded by pulling her closer to his chest.

"I'm not," said Uchiyama as they danced. Yankumi looked around, noticing that some of the guests were watching them. She inwardly groaned, realizing that she can't just push Uchiyama away if she wanted to. Further thinking led her to the fact that she doesn't really mind being this close to him. She could smell his scent through his shirt, and a large part of her wanted to lay her head down on his chest, close her eyes and sigh dreamily.

She blushed, shaking herself away from the sinful thoughts. _He's your freakin former student!_ _Don't mess it up! _She gasped as she felt Uchi bury his face on her neck and inhale her scent, making her blush fiercely.

"You're really pretty tonight, Kumiko," said Uchiyama huskily as they danced.

"U-Uchiyama…" Yankumi said, suppressing a moan as she felt him press a few light kisses to her neck. To an outsider they simply looked like a sweet couple enjoying the slow dance, but what Uchiyama was doing was enough to send tingles down her spine.

She opened her eyes dazedly, not noticing that it had fluttered close as she enjoyed the sensation of his lips on her skin. Tearing her eyes from his chest to stop her daze, she looked around and paid her attentions to the guests flocking around the ballroom. Her eyes took a stop on her other former student, who was standing near the balcony window, watching them. Her eyes widened.

_Oh my, _she thought frantically. _Sawada's gonna think I'm romancing my students now! What will he say about me?! _"Uchi!" She pushed gently at her drunken companion who had taken permanent residence on her neck and was currently enjoying it. "W-we shouldn't-"

She stopped in mid-talk as Sawada's eyes caught hers. He raised an eyebrow as he observed her current predicament, and although his face remained impassive, he certainly did not like what he was seeing. His unrequited affections for Yankumi bubbled up in anger and jealousy as he watched Uchiyama pull her closer and nuzzle her neck. The only thing that betrayed his emotions was his tightening grip on his class of champagne.

He saw Yankumi gaze at him with an apologetic look. He almost snorted. _What the hell is she apologizing for? _Deciding that he can't take looking at the sight of them anymore, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving his former teacher staring at him, anxious and worried.

"Shin-san," Megumi greeted him as he approached her table. "You didn't tell me that Yamaguchi-san was your former teacher."

Shin groaned inwardly. "Uh, I didn't think it was important, I'm sorry," he said to Megumi, who gazed at him in concern.

"Is there anything wrong, Shin-san?"

He shook his head. "No, there isn't. I'm just not feeling my best this evening."

Megumi nodded understandingly. "Oh, okay…" She turned back to watching the people on the ballroom that were dancing. "Yamaguchi-san seems to be happy, ne?" She said after a while, gazing at Yankumi and Uchiyama who were still out there. "But isn't it weird? Didn't she say that that guy she's dancing with now is your old classmate? Does that mean she taught him too?" She turned to look at Sawada questioningly.

He had no choice but to say the truth, as he couldn't find anything to say otherwise. "Yes, he was my classmate at Shirokin."

Megumi's eyes widened, looking again at the pair. "Wow, and she managed to snag someone as young as he is! Well, I couldn't blame him though," she said understandingly. "Yamaguchi-san is really pretty, and she seems really nice. You're lucky that you had her as your teacher."

_You have no idea, _thought Shin, looking back to the days when she played class 3-d's knight-in-shining –armor and Mother Teresa combined. She seemed like an angel sent for heaven to look after them, and he was more than thankful that he had her for a teacher.

However, it was really sad that fate pulled a cruel trick on him and made him fall in-love with a depressingly oblivious sensei who also happened to be a Yakuza boss. And now she's wrapped up in the arms of his old friend who had the courage to tell her how he feels.

_I wonder what would've happened if things didn't end up like this, _thought Shin. He then pushed the thoughts away. _You have no choice but to face the present now, you idiot. It's you who brought this upon yourself, after all. Dreaming about the past won't help matters._

He suddenly put down his glass of champagne and stood up. "Come on, Megumi," he offered his hand to the surprised girl. "Let's dance."

Megumi blushed furiously and took his hand shyly. "H-hai, Shin-san…" She allowed him to lead her to the dance floor, where they joined the happy couples dancing to the music.

For the rest of the night Shin tried to focus his attentions on dancing with his ever blushing fiancée, but he couldn't help his mind from flitting back to the beautiful woman who stood there a few paces from them, dancing with his former classmate and now rival.

Amazing how things ended up like this, him being flagrantly successful as his father's son while losing everything he cared for in return, even the one girl he had ever loved.

**A.N. There you have it, the 7****th**** chapter of my story. I hope you like what I did with the charity event, and how I played the characters emotions and thoughts right to the end. I'm sorry if it's a bit short, but the next chapter should satisfy your hunger for ShinKumi and UchiKumi action.**

**To those guys who are interested with the Potter fic, please don't hesitate to email or pm me at least! I really, really need your help and assistance on this matter!**

**Till next, everyone! Don't forget to REVIEW, REVIEW AND REVIEW! It helps me write these stuff you see in front of you now! Hungry calls for new chapters won't go unnoticed!**

**blaine36**


	9. Chapter 8

**A.N.: I'm sorry for the late update! Will upload the next one prolly by next week. :D**

**WARNING: Some mild pre-smut. And NO, it's not what you think.  
**

The charity night had been quite a successful one by business standards, and the whole of the Ooedo Kumi could not be more happier. Kuroda Ryuuichirou was especially cheerful the morning next, and he shared his happiness to the rest of the household by personally cooking their breakfast.

"Whoa, Oji-chan! This looks delicious!" Yankumi said brightly as she stared at the full table in front of her. The other members of the kumi were in tears at their immense gratitude and respect for their boss, with the exception of Ucchiyama, who still looked quite morose due to the previous night's events.

"I took the liberty of making our breakfast because I am very much impressed by the kumi's efforts to make the charity event a successful one," said Kuroda, smiling. The kumi howled in tears and clung to every bit of their old boss' yukata, almost pulling it off.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Kumichou!!!"

The boss of the Ooedo kumi just chuckled good-naturedly and told his men to get started with their meal.

After a hearty "Itadakimasu!!!", the group dug in their scrumptious feast. Yankumi shovelled the food in her mouth, eager to fully enjoy her grandfather's cooking. However, her joyful mood wavered when she saw in the corner of her eye the tired movements of her former student, who suffered from a severe case of hangover.

"Ucchiyama," she nudged him softly on the side.

"Aah." Was his only reply. Yankumi could not help but feel a twinge of annoyance at his sudden change of treatment with her. Last night he was practically worshipping her at the ball, but this morning he acted worse than a girl with PMS.

"Are you alright? Isn't grandpa's cooking delicious?"

"Aah."

Incensed, Yankumi slammed her fists on the table and stood up. "What's with all the _Aah, aah__'__s_?! Answer me properly, Ucchiyama!!!"

The kumi stopped silent in the middle of their loud chatter. Kuroda frowned at the tension building up at the table.

Ucchiyama bowed at the kumi and stood up slowly. "If you'll excuse me…" He muttered and walked out onto the balcony.

Minoru watched him go with sympathetic eyes. "Poor Ucchi, he's still too young to handle hangover," he said, shaking his head. The rest of the men murmured their assent.

Kuroda regarded his fuming granddaughter with concerned eyes. "Are you alright, Kumiko?"

"Stupid brat thinks he can just drink himself hoarse at night and act like a jerk the day next," she said angrily, sitting down.

"Don't let him get to you," said Kuroda. "Try to understand his situation, Kumiko."

Yankumi raised her eyes to look at her grandfather the bowed her head low. "Gomenasai, Ojii-san. I just got carried away. I forgot about the matter with Shin."

"Well, do try and make up with him later on your way to school, alright?"

"I will," said Yankumi, eating her food again. The rest of kumi was relieved that their Ojou finally calmed down, and started chatting over breakfast again.

--

Yankumi made it a point that she and Ucchi went to their workplaces together that morning. She was hoping that maybe her former student would be perkier after taking his bath, but to no avail. Ucchi kept staring right ahead as Yankumi walked beside him, looking determinedly cheery.

"Nice morning, isn't it?" She chirped as they walked along the empty road leading to the Keiko district. "The weather's fine and everything seems good. Don't you think so, Ucchi?"

She glanced at her former student only to see him just staring blankly ahead as he walked.

A vein pulsed in Yankumi's temple. Losing her temper, she stopped and grabbed Ucchi's arm, making him stop, too.

"Look, Ucchiyama, you acting like this isn't helping matters at all," she scolded him, pulling his arm to make him face her, but he refused to meet her eyes. Sighing, she reached out to his face, putting a gentle hand to his cheek and turning his head so she could look up at him directly. Yankumi knew that this gesture was against a teacher's standard policies with her students, and she also knew that she shouldn't be encouraging Ucchiyama's feelings for her with intimate actions, but she could see that it was working. Ucchi's eyes stared down to her determined bespectacled ones, a blush forming on his otherwise pale cheeks.

"You don't have to carry all the burden of trying to understand why he went away, you know," she whispered up at him. "It's alright if you share it with me. I know you're confused, but at least you should acknowledge the fact that you're not alone. You have me, Ucchiyama."

She could see his eyes burning with bitter anguish and some other feeling that she couldn't quite register. His hand came out of nowhere and cupped her cheek, caressing her soft flesh with his thumb. His other hand grabbed her waist and pulled her close to him, his mouth hovering over her ear as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

"I'm sorry for being such a jerk, Yankumi," he murmured, nuzzling her neck. "I shouldn't take it all out on you. I forget myself. I'm sorry."

Yankumi closed her eyes, relishing the intimacy of their situation without quite realizing it. She wondered fleetingly why she was letting him do all these things to her, his former sensei, but she wasn't in the right state of mind to meditate on it. She just let out a happy sigh and Ucchi heard it, not believing his ears. Elation rising up from the pit of his stomach, he left the warm solace of her neck and stared into her blushing face. Unable to control himself any longer, he gave a low growl and captured her lips in a kiss.

Ucchi could not believe it. He could feel Yankumi responding, if a bit clumsily due to complete lack of experience, to the feel of his lips on hers. He deepened the kiss, pulling her closer to him as he continued to press his lips to hers. Yankumi herself had completely forgotten her inhibitions the instant she felt his lips, and sighed happily into the kiss, her arms going around his neck and her feet standing on tiptoes as she tried to level her face with his. Ucchi took this as a sign to continue and proceeded to pry her lips open with his tongue, to which she willing obliged to. He felt he was going to go crazy with the feel of his tongue stroking hers, and he groaned in the ecstasy of it. He was in heaven, he was sure of it, and all anguish about Shin vanished from his mind as his passion for his former sensei was poured into their deep kiss.

"Y-Yamaguchi-sensei?!"

A loud female squeak emitted from somewhere beside them, making them pull apart in complete and utter shock.

The two of them turned to see Fujiyama-sensei and Kawashima-sensei staring at them with wide eyes, mouths hanging open in stupefaction. Yankumi's own eyes widened as she recognized the two women through her post-snog daze.

"Oh. My. God. It is you!" Fujiyama-sensei exclaimed. Her eyes turned to stare at Ucchi, and her eyes grew even wider as she realized who he was, too.

"Ucchiyama Haruhiko?! From 3-D gumi?"

Ucchi did not reply, but just stared somewhere else in the road, a blush placed on his cheeks forever. Kawashima then cleared her throat, realizing the extremely awkward situation they have gotten themselves into.

"Gomenasai Yamaguchi-sensei, Ucchiyama-kun, we didn't mean to run into you," she said, giggling weakly as she grabbed Fujiyama-sensei's arm and proceeded to pull her away to the bus stop just a few blocks ahead. Fujiyama, however, wasn't about to let go of them easily so she jerked her arm away from Kawashima and squealed.

"Oh my god!!! You didn't tell us you two are dating! There's no need to be ashamed of it, Yamaguchi-sensei. We all know it's been four years since Ucchi-kun here graduated, ne?" She grinned at them, and Yankumi grinned back a bit uncertainly, the blush in her cheeks deepening to a dark rouge.

"W-well, I--"

"Yes, yes, it's all fine and well, but I'm afraid we must go catch the bus," said Kawashima, smiling apologetically at the interrupted pair. She was the mature one of the two and she knew how to repress her questions if the situation requires it. "Gomen, Yamaguchi-sensei, Fujiyama-sensei seems to be a bit too inquisitive today."

Yankumi nodded thankfully at Kawashima, but Fujiyama stubbornly refused to be pulled away. "But, Kawashima-sensei, we have to tell Yamaguchi-sensei about the reunion we are planning to hold!"

"Eh?" Yankumi was surprised. A reunion? She didn't know that the two teachers missed the students that much, too.

"Yes, I was thinking of gathering class 3-C together, so I thought of contacting you so we could hold the party together with class 3-D," said Fujiyama. "Wouldn't it be fun, Yamaguchi-sensei? It would be just for a night. You have to get your class 3-D together by Friday, okay? I'm looking forward to having you help me set this up. We don't really have a place to gather in right now so if you have any ideas, call me. Just contact me if you want to discuss the party details. Here's my number." She handed Yankumi a business card and let herself be led away by a perpetually apologetic Kawashima, who mouthed _Gomenasai _to Yankumi as she dragged her overly-excited colleague away from the pair.

"H-hai…" was the only thing Yankumi could say to the teachers. She stared at the card Fujiyama gave her, and then turned her gaze to Ucchi, who was staring at her with a small smile on his lips.

"So," he began, but Yankumi interrupted him.

"Ucchi, I don't think--"

"Don't." Ucchi stopped her in mid-talk. "Don't ruin it, Yankumi. It was the best few minutes of my life, and I want to enjoy it for at least a couple of days before you start lecturing me about how you think all of this is wrong."

"B-but--!"

Ucchiyama just wrapped an arm around her waist and led her to the school district. Yankumi was surprised at how intimate he was already, as if they were dating. _But we__'__re not! _Yankumi furiously told herself. _This is just a… a…_

_An affair? _said her inner voice.

_Ye--NO!!! _She stopped that train of thought immediately. She most certainly did not want to even think about having an _affair _with her former student. The sound of that word just sounded too… illicit.

No, this is not--and will never be--an affair.

"Of course it isn't," Ucchi's amused voice broke into her train of thought. "I'm pretty serious about this, so I plan to make it work."

Dear God, did she say that out loud? Yankumi blushed deeper than beetroot and squirmed under Ucchi's firm one-armed embrace. Her former student--the sheer nerve of him!--chuckled and pulled her closer to him. His laugh sounded just like he used to when he was back in class 3-D with his good old friends--and Yankumi realized this was the first time she ever heard him laugh like that in the past few years.

Was he really that serious about her?

Realizing she couldn't bear blushing any deeper anymore, she took Ucchi off-guard and elbowed him—hard--on the ribs. Ignoring his loud cries of pain and surprise, she took off to the school district.

"Oi, Yankumi! What the hell?!"

"RACE YOU TO THE UNIVERSITY!!!" She yelled, a few octaves louder than anybody would think was proper in an area filled with scholastic buildings, but she didn't actually care. She decided she'd rather be rowdy than blushing like a schoolgirl under her former student's gaze--oh, the horror! "LAST ONE IS A FAGGOT!!!"

"You gotta be joking! There's no way I'd win against you, you madwoman! And stop yelling like that, you're gonna wake up the rest of the city!" But Ucchi ran after her nevertheless, fully aware that Yankumi would beat him shitless any day in a race, or whatever frigging sport his crazy sensei would ever want to engage in. She just guffawed like the gangster that she is and sprinted on, already a good few kilometres far from him.

Ucchi shook his head as he ran, trying to keep the distance between them minimal, but to no avail. Yankumi seemed intent on humiliating his already whipped ass. He realized that he had bagged himself a rather crazy woman instead of a prim and proper former teacher, but then smiled and chuckled, telling himself that being rather insane is just the perfect addition to the wonderfully addictive person that Yankumi really is.

He'll never regret giving in to his desires to kiss her, ever.

--

"Uuuhhh…" Kuma scratched his head as he stared at the list of names printed on the paper that Yankumi handed him. He squinted his eyes and gave a small frown. "You sure you want to invite 'em all, Yankumi?"

"Yeah," Yankumi nodded. "I'm pretty sure."

"But there's too many of them!"

"Well, find a way to contact them anyway!" Yankumi said impatiently as she stuffed her mouth full with ramen. Ucchi watched her stuff her face with an amused expression and turned to Kuma, tapping him at the back. "I'll help you, man. Let's get Minami and Noda to help us too. This woman here is too busy being a pig to do her own damn job, so she's passing on the task to us lowly beings." He jerked his head to their former sensei.

"Well, that's why you guys went to school, anyway," Yankumi mumbled before inhaling another chopstickful of ramen. "And Ucchi, you won't raise your chances with me if you continue calling me a pig when I eat." She added, wagging a finger at the amused blond.

Kuma raised his eyebrows Yankumi's last statement but did not say anything, being the rather unperceptive person that he is. He just snorted and stared back at the list. He sighed and took out his cellphone from his apron pocket.

"Well, let's start calling 'em up, then."

Yankumi turned to Ucchiyama, who was picking up his own phone to help Kuma with his job. She tapped him on the shoulder with her chopsticks.

"I need a location," she told him.

He stared at her contemplatively. "How about we ask round the kumi? They might know a place we can rent for a cheap price."

Yankumi nodded. "Good call, Ucchi. I'll ask Tetsu about it later."

--

"What?! No, Ojii-san! That is definitely not going to happen!"

Yankumi's incredulous voice sounded all throughout the Ooedo mansion that night. Her grandfather, upon hearing her conversation with Tetsu over the meal, had been gracious enough to offer their house—a formal gang headquarters—as the gathering place for the class reunion. Yankumi had promptly spit out the tea that she was drinking in Tetsu's face before turning to her grandpa and voicing out her big NO.

Kuroda only chuckled at her daughter's harried expression. "Oh, do calm down, Kumiko. It was merely a suggestion. Besides, I think it would be nice if I get to meet your precious students. And I'm more than certain that the kumi will love preparing everything for them. That way you and your fellow teachers won't be troubled with anything."

Ucchi's voice piped up from beside her. "I personally think that's a good idea." Kuroda nodded at him in appreciation and turned to his granddaughter again.

"See? Ucchi thinks I'm right."

Yankumi fixed Ucchi with a death glare. "You will _not _go around agreeing with everything grandpa says."

"I'm not. I only agree when I think someone's right." He returned her glare with a smirk.

"Oooh, I don't believe this," Yankumi gave up and shook her head wearily. "Fine, you guys win. We'll have the thing here. BUT!!!" She fixed every single member of the kumi, including her incredibly amused grandfather and an eternally smirking Ucchi, a threatening glare. "I don't want any funny stuff, okay? The people we're going to have here were my students, and I want _everyone _to be a good example. Which means no strong alcohol, even if they're not minors anymore. I only allow a bit of sake. Are we clear?"

"Ossu!"

--

Kuma, Ucchi, Minami and Noda's combined efforts were enough to round-up the mass of raucous students of 3-D gumi, except for one guy. Three guesses who.

"We're still missing Shin," Kumi sighed as he handed Yankumi almost crossed-out list two days after. "I don't know his new number, and nobody else does."

"Surprise, surprise," muttered Ucchi darkly from one corner. Yankumi sighed and stood up, grabbing her jacket from a hook in the Ooedo sitting room.

"Where are you going?" Kuma asked her, puzzled.

"Gonna look for Sawada, of course," said Yankumi, tucking a dagger inside her jacket--what the hell did she need that for? Kuma would never know, but knowing Yankumi, she just invited trouble every single place she went, so she probably needed the added assurance. He stood up too, as well as Ucchi.

"We'll come with you," Ucchi said, apparently not inclined to let Yankumi out by herself at night.

"No, thanks," Yankumi waved him off like an annoying fly.

"But why not?!"

"Because I think it would be better if I talk to him first," she rationalized. "And besides, knowing you, you two would get into a fight two seconds into the conversation."

Ucchi flushed at that. Yankumi was spot-on. "W-well, I'll try to be nice."

"No can do, Ucchi, besides, Tetsu probably needs you at the kitchen. Go bother him." She pushed the two out into the hall.

"Go on," Ucchi urged Kuma. "I'll have a bit of talk with Yankumi."

Kuma, being the naïve git that he is, only nodded and followed Ucchi's orders, not reading into the situation much. Ucchi was left in the hall staring unabashedly at a rapidly blushing Yankumi.

"I-I need to go--"

"Nope!" Ucchi chirped, putting his arm out to block her way. "You're staying here!"

"Get the hell outta the way, Ucchiyama. I need to go find that Sawada git."

"Maybe later," Ucchi said, taking a step towards Yankumi, who flushed a deeper shade of red and took a step back. "Talk to me first."

"Go to hell."

"Whoa, touché," said Ucchi with smirk, he leaned over to Yankumi whose breath hitched in her throat.

She gulped. "Why are you suddenly acting so weird?"

"Eh?"

"Weird," Ucchi repeated. "Ever since we kissed in that street, you began acting like it never happened. You wouldn't let me touch you. You wouldn't even let me be a foot near you, for God's sake."

"Wha--Why the hell should I let you touch me anyway?!"

"Well, I dunno, maybe because WE FREAKIN KISSED ALREADY?!"

Yankumi blushed deeper, if that was even possible at her current state. "Don't say it out loud like that," she mumbled. "Someone might hear."

Ucchi raised an eyebrow. "So? Let them."

It was Yankumi's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Do you really want Tetsu running after you with a butcher knife?"

Ucchi gave her a sexy smirk. "I'm willing to take that risk if it means being with you."

"You--Stop that!"

"Stop what?"

"That! _This!" _Yankumi threw up her hands in the air and waved her hands about like she was flapping a pair of nonexistent wings. "We aren't supposed to be talking about _this!"_

"Why the hell not?" Ucchi took another step closer at her and she took another step back. "I'm pretty sure a huge kiss like that should not go unnoticed."

"I'm not unnotic-ing it! I just don't think it's proper to talk about it!"

Ucchi sighed. "But I told you I'm serious about this, Yankumi," he whispered. He ran a hand through his hair. "You believe me, right?"

Yankumi's eyes softened. "Of course I believe you. But that doesn't take away the fact that this is not proper."

"Yankumi…" Ucchi surprised the hell out of her by pulling her to him and hugging her close. Definitely not good. Or at least that's what she told herself as she nearly sighed at his warmth. "What am I ever to do with you? You're still so uptight." He kissed the top of her head and inhaled her sweet scent as he held her tight. "I missed you."

She rolled her eyes at his warm shirt, although she found herself leaning against him before she could stop herself. "You see me every day."

"No, I don't mean like that. I mean like this." He moved his mouth to her ear and whispered to her. "Like having you close to me like this. It's not like you let me do this all the time."

Yankumi had to chuckle at that. "As if I'd let you."

"Exactly," said Ucchi. "That's why I'm making the most out of _this_." He kissed her temple and moved to kiss her neck.

She couldn't help the small moan that slipped out of mouth. Damnit. Now Ucchi would think he's won her over.

True enough, Ucchi had smirked triumphantly into her skin as he heard her little gasp of feeling. Encouraged, he moved lower and sucked on a certain spot above her collarbone which, apparently, was a very, very, _very _sensitive spot.

Yankumi's moans were now more pronounced.

She trembled in his embrace, so he tightened his hold on her as he sucked and licked at that spot of skin, discreetly marking it with a hickey. _Ha! Now she__'__ll remember how she enjoyed this. _Finally he had a sudden attack of mercy for her--she was helplessly moaning like a sex craved maniac already, and he knew it was killing her that she couldn't control the sounds she was making--so he let go of her neck with one final kiss and moved on to her mouth, drowning her mewls with his passion.

This time he knew he had driven her close to the edge for she responded almost immediately, wrapping her arms around him tightly and reaching up, pressing her lips to him as much as she could. He gave a low groan of appreciation and lifted her up, letting her wrap her legs around his waist as he carried her to a nearby wall, pressing her against it as he swept her lips with his tongue, seeking entrance. She opened to him willingly and their tongues battled for dominance. _Damnit, _he thought. _She__'__s a pretty good kisser for someone so… inexperienced._

And that made him want her all the more.

She was tracing mad patterns along his back, which felt really, really good, and Ucchi responded by grinding his newfound hardness on her hips. She moaned into his mouth and ground back with ferocity, sending waves of pleasure all over his spine. He could feel her breasts pressing against his chest as she rubbed against him passionately--who knew Yankumi had _breasts? _Thinking about her having those womanly parts used to be beyond all point of imagination to the students of class 3-D, but now Ucchi realized he _cared, _because Yankumi was more than her not-hot teacher now. She was a woman he cared about.

Like, cared a WHOLE shitload about. Like, ten times the care he exercised for all the girls he had fancied in his whole lifetime.

So, the discovery that she had a pair of wonderfully soft woman-mounds gave him a nice warm feeling in his chest. He couldn't help it as his hand trailed from her leg to her waist, hitching the fabric of her shirt up until he met bare skin, inching up and up until he reached the skin below her bra.

Yankumi did not give any indication of wanting him to stop. She was still preoccupied with driving him crazy with her tongue _and _her hands (as if her tongue wasn't enough--he was mad as hell for her already), and her ministrations seemed to point towards the fact that she must like it if he went ahead and did as he wanted. But, for some reason, Ucchi couldn't do it.

Damn it to a frilly hell, he couldn't touch those _breasts._

For some reason, they were _sacred._

His hands stilled at the skin just below them and moved lower until they were out of her shirt. Yankumi seemed to realize his decision to back off and immediately went rigid as a board, pulling away from his kiss and removing her hands from his back. She unwrapped her legs from his waist and stood in front of him, staring at him with wide, shocked eyes.

"Oh my God. I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have!"

"Yankumi--,"

But she was already out of the room, running out into the hallway and out of the house. He went after her, meaning to stop her and make sense of the whole damn situation, but he saw her exit the gates of the Ooedo mansion.

He had this strong feeling he wouldn't be seeing her for the rest of the night.

--

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	10. Chapter 9

A.N.: Chapter 9 is now up for grabs! I'm mortified at the horrible amount of time it's taking me to finish this single fic, but please do understand that I'm one of those people who gets frequently attacked by bouts of writer's block. Have patience, people. And continue reading!

--

"Good God! What the hell was I thinking?!"

Yankumi slapped herself several times as she walked in the cold, empty streets near Kamiyama-chou, willing herself to feel punished, but realized that it didn't work since she was pretty much immune to that kind of pain anyway. Stopping in mid-stride, she pushed her hands deep in her pocket and took a deep breath.

_Okay, Yankumi, you had something you had to do. Come on, think!_

She remembered the list.

Sawada.

Oh, damnit!

She completely forgot about having to find him so she could try to round him up for the reunion this Friday, but, then again, anybody would forgot about any bloody thing if she'd been snogged so deliciously by a really hot, young man in her own house.

Damnit, stop thinking about it!

She had to go find Sawada quick. She wasn't going to let that little kiss (Ha! Little!) with Ucchi drive her to forget about her teacherly duties especially to Sawada. She was soooo much greater than that.

Ha, she'll show that brat!

With an air of newfound determination, she strode ahead to the school district, planning her form of espionage so as to find the ever-elusive Sawada Shin.

--

Work was as demanding as ever and all Shin could do was collapse on the couch after a rather exhausting day of schoolwork and office work. He didn't bother to open the lights as he dropped his dead weight onto the plush sofa and sighed. He closed his eyes and contemplated falling asleep right then and there.

"Boo-yah."

"ARGH!" He shot out of his seat at the sound of that low voice, his eyes flicking warily about his spacious apartment as he tried to find the source of it. He adopted a menacing position. As he looked around he thought he saw a pair of eyes staring back at him malignantly through the dark.

"Who the hell are you?!"

"I'm your conscience, Sawada-bozu."

Shit. He recognized that voice. And those _glasses. _He switched on the light and sighed.

"What the friggin' hell are you doing in my apartment, Yankumi? And how did you find me anyway?"

She shrugged. "I have my methods."

"The hell you do."

"Whatever. I needed to contact you, Sawada. So I found your place."

"Couldn't you have just called me instead of breaking in?" He stared at her as if she was mad.

"Where's the fun in that?" She said as if that made a whole load of sense. "And anyway, you never gave me your number."

"You found my place. You could've easily found my number."

"Eh, this is lots better. You would've hung up on me if I called you."

"No I wouldn't."

"Yes you would."

"No I wouldn't."

"Yes you would."

"No I wouldn't."

"Yes you w—,"

"Okay! Whatever! Just tell me what the hell you're doing here, Yankumi." Damnit, he was _exhausted. _And her being her engaging him in mindless Yakuza banter was not helping matters. "I need my sleep."

"Well," Yankumi grinned at him as if breaking and entering wasn't a punishable violation in the Japanese law. "I want to invite you."

His eyes narrowed. "Invite me where?"

"Reunion. This Friday."

He closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. It sounded like a whistle. He hated it when it sounded like a damn whistle. "No."

"What? What, no?"

"I said no, I'm not gonna go."

"The hell you're not, Sawada. I'm forcing you to go." Yankumi put her hands on her hips and glared at him menacingly. She gave him her trademark deadly Yakuza look.

Shin snorted. He was used to those looks from her. "As if you can. Listen, Yankumi, I know you're a spaz and you probably don't understand this sort of things, but I've estranged myself to them, remember? They wouldn't want me there anymore. Ucchi will probably kill me if he sees me. The rest will just look at me in disgust. I honestly don't think I want to plunge headfirst into any hostile situation."

Yankumi shook her head. "No, you won't be plunging into _anything. _Sawada, come on. It's high time you get out of that little misery bubble of yours and mingle with your old classmates. They miss you." She approached him with an imploring look in her face.

Shin sighed exasperatedly. "We've been through this at the charity event, Yankumi. They don't miss me, and I don't think it's proper that I just show up after years of going MIA. It's just not... right."

"Aw, bollocks, Sawada. They'll love you there. Damn!" She swore, shrugging off her jacket and making a face. "It's damn hot in here. Didn't you turn on the air-conditioning?"

"Didn't have the time," Sawada mumbled, watching her. There was something off about Yankumi now that she didn't have the jacket on. He could see that she was wearing a t-shirt, but that was her normal get-up anyway. He couldn't quite fathom what was so wrong until he saw that purplish spot just above her collarbone.

If he squinted hard enough, the spot looked just like a hickey.

He did a double take.

_HICKEY?!_

Yankumi kept babbling on about how hot it was in the room and how she'd love it if he'd go to the reunion, but Shin couldn't hear her. His eyes were fixed on that damned bruise on her neck.

_How the hell did she get a damn hickey?!_

Yankumi noticed him staring.

Her eyes widened as she realized what he was staring at. Subconsciously, her hand moved to touch the bruise.

_Ouch. _She winced. She's going to friggin' kill Ucchiyama for this.

"I... I burnt myself with—with an iron." She mentally kicked her ass for producing such a lame excuse.

Shin swallowed, and nodded. "I see."

Yes, he definitely did. He kind of figured out already how she got the freaking hickey. _Damn that Ucchi. _He felt more like shit than he ever did.

How the hell did things turn out like this? He never expected for his former teacher and classmate to hit together when he first accepted his father's proposal to study in Keiko. But, then again, things like that wasn't actually his business.

Yet, he can't help the huge wave of jealousy that surged through him.

"S—so." He hated the way his voice cracked. "What time is it? The party, I mean."

Her eyes widened. "Wh—you're coming?"

Shin looked uncomfortable. "Yeah." He mumbled. "I—I figured you were right."

Her face lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah. Sort of. So when is it?" Yankumi's jolly face was enough to drive him nuts, but he controlled the overwhelming urge to hug her and proceeded to scowl at the overjoyed woman.

Yankumi ignored his facial expression. "It's around seven o'clock in the evening till whenever. Come by my house this Friday."

"What?" Sawada was surprised. "It's gonna be in _your _house?"

"Yeah," Yankumi sighed exasperatedly. "I was against the idea, but Ojii-san wanted to meet you kids so I had to agree. Besides, what more harm can it do?" She gave a noncommittal shrug. "Everyone knows about the kumi anyway."

Shin nodded, seeing sense in it. However, he was still a bit put off by the fact that the house only he had been privy to so long ago was now going to be shared with the rest of Yankumi's former students. Back then he had felt rather important for being the only student in the class who knew about Yankumi's status and could even visit her at nights for some nabe dinner. But, then again, there already was Ucchiyama, who was probably filling up his place for the entire Ooedo kumi.

Yankumi was beaming up at him through her flashing glasses. "_Sugoi..._ I didn't actually think you'd agree!" She gushed happily and prattled around in front of him, thrusting her fist out triumphantly. Shin was suddenly thrown back to the good old days back in Shirokin where they'd accomplish some mission regarding one student and Yankumi would do the exact same thing, as if celebrating for the fruit of their labors. He was then overcome by the strong realization that he missed those days more than ever.

He closed his eyes. Damn it. He missed _them._

And he really looked forward to seeing them this Friday.

--

"Are you sure he's gonna come, Yankumi?"

Kuma annoyed the hell out of his former sensei by asking this particular question for the umpteenth time that evening. Yankumi, who had a large vein twitching in her temple, resisted the urge to sock her old student and instead proceeded to take a long drink from her cup of punch.

"_Yes, Kumai-kun, I__'__m pretty sure," _she said in her "demon voice" that the Ooedo Kumi so feared. Kuma seemed to be affected by it too, judging by the way he swallowed and mumbled a small "Ossu" and scuttled away from the irritated Yakuza boss.

"Whoa, Yankumi, was it me or did you just send Kuma running?" Ucchi appeared beside her, grinning widely. Yankumi could see that he was really happy with the party. Everyone from 3-d gumi was there, after all, and it reminded him of the happy days back in high school.

"He was annoying the beejezus outta me," Yankumi growled. "Kept asking if Shin will really come. Of course he will! He told me so!"

Ucchi suppressed a roll of his eyes. He decided to give Shin a chance that night. It was a reunion, after all. "Well, you better mingle with the students instead of just standing there waiting for him, okay? They miss you." He jerked his head to his old classmates, most of whom were enjoying themselves by singing with the karaoke machine in the TV room, playing Go Fish with the kumi, or decking out the pool which Tetsu and Minoru had managed to smuggle in earlier.

Yankumi nodded and sighed. "You're right. I'm probably just too anxious." She let herself be led by the waist to the pool table by Ucchi, who was determined to play the part of the gentlemanly suitor that night. She still wasn't comfortable with the idea, but the young man wouldn't relent and she didn't have the heart to just punch him around all the time. She would probably give him a concussion, so she just let him do as he wished as long as he wouldn't snog the brains out of her in public. That would probably move her to castrate him. _And _give him a concussion.

"Well, well, here comes the couple of the night," Fujiyama gushed as they approached. "You two are soooo sweet!"

So much for staying discreet.

The rest of the kids surrounding the pool table shot their heads up to stare at them unabashedly. Some of them were from 3-D and the others were from Fujiyama's class. Yankumi felt herself go redder than a tomato and she tried to shrink away from the view, but Ucchi held her still.

"Arigatou, sensei," he smiled at Fujiyama, who clapped happily at the _"Kawaii!" _pair.

Oooh, she's going to kill that damn bozu! Chop off his _thing _and feed it to the dogs! Then kick his sorry ass all the way to Okinawa!

"Eeeh!?" Noda, one of the students playing billiards, exclaimed. "You two are _DATING?!"_

"Oh, yes, didn't you know?" The soon-to-be-dead Fujiyama-sensei said to Noda, whom she was openly flirting with. "I saw them this Monday near the Keiko district kis—mmph!" Yankumi had shot from Ucchi's grasp to clamp her hand over the sensei's mouth.

"Whoa, easy there, Fujiyama-sensei! I think you had too much punch already!" She giggled helplessly at her former students who were staring at her, and motioned roughly for Ucchi to help her.

Ucchi, looking quite amused at her predicament, gave her a small smirk, undeterred by the deadly glare shot at him.

However, he didn't want to be killed later that evening, so he addressed his peers with a huge grin. "Yankumi's right, Fujiyama-sensei drank too much for the night. Let's keep the sake away from her, shall we?"

"Oi, oi, Ucchi-kun, how can you say that? I'm not drunk!" Fujiyama said, pouting prettily at Ucchi in a way that made Yankumi want to pull her hairs out. However, Fujiyama-sensei had realized, judging by Yankumi's pleading expression, that their sordid little _affair _should not be mentioned in front of the guys as of yet, much less the entire Ooedo kumi, who would probably chase the poor kid out of the door with sharp katanas.

"My, my, I think I want to have some of that nabe," she said, backing off. "I'll go bother Tetsu-kun over there, shall I?" She walked off to a blushing Tetsu, who was being elbowed in the ribs by some of the kumi members.

Yankumi sighed as soon as she was away and the guys had finally returned to their various businesses. "Whew," she whispered. "That was close."

Ucchi had a slightly hurt look on his face. "Why are you still so against them finding out about us?"

Her head shot up to look at him. "Ucchi, we've talked about this…"

He shook his head. "It still doesn't make sense to me."

"_UWWWAAAAAHHH! SHIN-CHAN!!!"_

Kuma's huge voice saying Sawada's name cut through their little world like hot knife through butter. Yankumi turned her head to stare at the door so quickly that she almost got a crick in her neck, and Ucchi's eyes widened as he stood where he was, fists clenched.

"SAWADA!!!" Yankumi had left him to jump over to where Sawada was, grabbing his arm and mussing up his hair like she used to do back when they were still her students. "So you came after all, ne?" She had the widest grin on her face.

Sawada looked nervous. "Y-yeah."

"Oi, oi, Sawada!" Tetsu and Minoru had come over to greet him, too. "It's a good thing you're here. We reserved a special bottle of sake just for you, eh?" They clapped him at the back as they pulled him into the threshold, the rest of the students still staring at him in awe, marveling at his presence after four years of his absence.

Kuma seemed to be the only person unaffected this. "Shin-chan, I missed you…" Sniffling, he enveloped him in a hug, Sawada growing rigid as he was shocked by this unconditional display of affection from his best-friend.

"Kuma…" He whispered, eyes wide. He had expected him to just stare at him like the other students when he arrived, or even react to his presence violently just like Ucchi had done, but not to do _this. _It was completely the opposite of what he should do faced with the fact that his best friend had deserted him for a span of four years.

He looked over Kuma's huge shoulder with difficulty to meet Yankumi's tearful gaze. She nodded at him happily, as if to say, _Go on, hug him already!_

Sawada did so, dismissing any inhibitions and making Kuma sniffle with tears of joy. It was completely uncharacteristic, he had to admit, but Kuma's warm, friendly welcome had moved him far beyond anything else that had happened in the years that he had spent in absence.

"Uwwaahhh! Shin!!!" Noda and Minami had joined in to form a manly group hug, which had moved the rest of class 3-D to join them, resulting in a huge crowd surrounding Sawada and almost suffocating him.

"You guys…" Yankumi was smiling happily as she tried to bite back tears of joy, watching the rather emotional reunion commence.

_Ucchi._

She remembered him. He was nowhere to be seen in the crowd. She peeked back to the room where she left him in earlier, and he wasn't there. _Where the hell is he?!_

She moved to search the whole house for her missing student, but her grandpa's voice stopped her from wandering off.

"Kumiko, is that Sawada-kun I hear?"

She turned to face Kuroda Ryuuichirou, who was carrying a huge bottle of sake, which was often used as gifts in Yakuza tradition. She stared at it and nodded. "Are-are you giving that to Sawada, Ojii-san?"

He nodded. "I feel that this has been long overdue. Sawada had been an important part in the kumi's existence back then, after all, especially since he helped keep your status a secret."

Her eyes widened. "But, Ojii-san, I don't think--"

"Please, Kumiko, let me do this." Kuroda smiled at her. "I really do wish to give this to him as a sign of gratitude and respect."

_Great. _The last thing she needed was for Ucchi to go haywire with jealousy and anger when her grandpa gives Shin a huge traditional Yakuza welcome. And in front of his other rejoicing classmates too.

Still, she had to let her grandpa do whatever he wanted to do. It wasn't exactly her place to stop him. She gave him a pained smile. "Alright, go ahead, Ojii-san."

"Thank you, my dear. Will you come with me?"

Yankumi nodded, following the Yakuza boss out of the hallway and into the large connected system of sitting rooms where all the guests were gathered. All fell silent as Kuroda Ryuuichirou stepped into the room, bearing the huge jar with him.

"Ah, Shin," he said, smiling warmly at the newcomer. _"Okaerinasai."_

Sawada looked up from the overcrowded group hug that was currently suffocating the stuffing out of him and met the Yakuza leader's calm, welcoming gaze. A huge lump in his throat had formed, and he nodded gratefully at the elder man, fighting back the surge of tears that had again threatened to burst from their dam. The last thing Shin wanted was to be reduced into a sobbing, blubbering git on the floor right in the middle of his former classmates and the Ooedo kumi.

He permitted himself a warm smile, though. He nodded, grinning insanely at the Yakuza boss. _"Tadaima."_

--

A.N. I'm sorry for the relatively short chapter, but I'm working on the next one today so it'll prolly be up in a week or so depending on how motivated I get. Anyway, to answer _Fathskie_'s question, I thinks that Megumi looks like Sawajiri Erika in my head. With the short-ish, blond-ish hair that is reminiscent of Shin's sister Natsumi, which is prolly why he's a bit partial to her advances (note the _bit_!_)_.

Ooh, and please do check out my other fic, "The Wellber Council", if you're a bit of a Harry Potter fan too. It's up to Chapter 7 now I think, and I'm working on it too. I could use some suggestions and reviews about it, so please, please help a dear fellow writer in need! *grin grin*

Thanks!

blaine36


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